Pacitan people behind Susilo all the way
ID Nugroho, Pacitan, East Java
This is the fourth in a series of articles on the five presidential candidates in the eyes of their neighbors or former neighbors
An Islamic boarding school in Tremas subdistrict, Pacitan regency, was hectic when The Jakarta Post visited it on Friday last week. Male students were seen wandering around the 12- hectare school premises, while dozens of female students chatted on the floor inside one of the school buildings. Coconut palms swayed in the wind, while the weather was mild.
Fuad Habib, the school principal, who was seen sitting cross- legged praying in a corner in the school's main building, quickly got up and greeted the Post when he saw the Post entering the building. "There have been so many journalists visiting us recently," he smiled.
It was close by here that presidential candidate Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, familiarly known as SBY, was born 58 years ago.
"His mother gave birth to him in a house only some 30 meters behind the school building," said the cleric.
Susilo's birth was witnessed by Fuad's father, Habib Dimyathi, who was also Fuad's predecessor in leading the Islamic school.
Nothing much has changed in the surrounding area since then. The only change is that Susilo's family home was turned into a small mosque after Susilo's family moved to another village in the regency.
The relationship between the Islamic school, which was founded in 1830, and Susilo's family became stronger after Susilo's father Sukotjo alias Imam Adro'i became a teacher of history in the school.
Despite the historic connection between the school and the Susilo's family, Fuad said that his school would remain neutral. One of the teachers in the school, Amak Haris Dimyathi, echoed Fuad's comment.
"The person is not important. The most important is for us to support the presidential candidate who cares about his mandate from the people, and fulfills it."
If the Islamic school remains neutral, it will be different from ordinary people in Pacitan regency. Dwiyanti, Susilo's junior when they were both attending the Pacitan Junior High School, voiced strong support for Susilo to be the next Indonesia president. "I hope he will be the first graduate of our school to become president," said Dwiyanti, who is currently the deputy principal of the junior high school.
If Susilo were elected, the school would benefit from it -- at least he could help provide the school with better facilities, including computers, said Dwiyanti.
Support was also voiced by Padang Waidatu Aisyah, an elementary school student, and Sunardi, a retired official from the Pacitan Prosecutor's Office.
"I like SBY. He is good-looking," said Aisyah, a student at Balehardjo elementary school where Susilo studied during his childhood.
Similarly, the 90-year old Sunardi believed that Susilo was the chosen one. "I knew his father. I believe Susilo is capable of leading the nation," he said.
Strong support from Susilo's fellow Pacitan people has made Susilo's campaign team in the regency upbeat that Susilo, a retired four-star general, will win a big vote, at least in Pacitan regency.
Pacitan, some 250 kilometers north of Surabaya, the capital of East Java, has a population of 536,494, according to 1999 data from the Pacitan Statistic Office.
"We predict that he will win 80 percent of the votes in the regency," said Sudjono, the chairman of the Democratic Party's (PD) Pacitan branch. This are not empty words. The Democratic Party (PD), which chose Susilo as its presidential candidate, won in the legislative election in the regency on April 5.