Pacitan people behind Susilo all the way

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.