Hamzah makes a good neighbor, but president?

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta

This is the second in a series of articles on the five presidential candidates in the eyes of their neighbors.

To his neighbors in Tegalan, Matraman, East Jakarta, Vice President Hamzah Haz is a down-to-earth person. He is modest, generous and a devoted Muslim who prays five times a day.

But despite his good standing with the neighbors, they think Hamzah has little chance of winning the presidential election.

Rani, a housewife who has lived in Tegalan for 20 years, says that since becoming Vice President, Hamzah has still managed to find time to jog every day after his morning prayer.

"He always smiles when he sees us. He is as friendly as ever," she told The Jakarta Post.

The only change has been the presence of guards in the neighborhood since he became Vice President in 2001, but the guards are equally friendly, Rani said while pointing to one of the guards chatting with a shopkeeper.

Another neighbor, who sells glasses from a small shop, said Hamzah always prayed in the mosque next to her kiosk, and his wife made a weekly donation to poor families in the area.

Hamzah, who was born in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, lives with Asmaniah, the first of his three wives, in a medium-sized house with a garage and small garden on Jl. Tegalan.

The woman said the presence of Hamzah's guards gave her an added sense of security.

Hamzah's guests occasionally drop into her shop to buy glasses, she said.

Bernard, an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, also had nothing but good things to say about Hamzah as a neighbor.

"Talking about hospitality, Pak Hamzah has never changed," he said of the Vice President, who is contesting the presidential election along with running mate Agum Gumelar, a former minister and retired Army general.

Bernard also said that before Hamzah became Vice President, Hamzah's wife often hired him to give her a ride to the nearby Palmeriam market in the morning.

"But of course not now. Bu Asmaniah is still kind but I am a bit disappointed as she never smiles at us anymore since Pak Hamzah became Vice President," he said.

Both Rani and Bernard agreed that Hamzah had little chance to win the presidential election.

"Most residents in this housing complex support Pak Hamzah and his United Development Party, but we realize that his chances of winning the presidential election are marginal," Rani said.

Bernard said, "Despite his good character, he is not Javanese and his support in the legislative election was not strong. Being realistic, I do not think he will win the presidential election."