Building the future together

Building the future together

From Koran Tempo

Oct. 20 became an historic day, marking the day the first directly elected president and vice president were sworn into office. The government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is beginning a new era that will define his five-year term.

The nation is facing problems so great in magnitude and complexity that they can be solved only through a common effort that involves all levels of government and society.

Only through a common endeavor can we overcome the social ills plaguing the nation, such as prejudice, hypocrisy, ignorance and other irrational trends.

In developing a commitment to hard work and mutual responsibility, we will become capable of creating a better Indonesia with improved security, justice and welfare.

Armed with the fruits of democratic transition under Megawati Soekarnoputri's government, the nation's challenges and hurdles will hopefully be overcome and improvements will be made by the new government of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

ERWIN GUNAWAN Bogor, West Java