SBY to lead antigraft drive

SBY to lead antigraft drive

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hours after taking the oath of office on Wednesday as the
country's sixth president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed to lead
the fight against what he called rampant and systemic corruption.

"My administration will actively launch an anticorruption
program, which I myself am going to lead," Susilo said in his
nationally televised inaugural address at the Merdeka Palace.

The Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) released on
Wednesday its latest global corruption index, placing Indonesia
among the world's most corrupt countries.

TI said that while Indonesia's corruption index improved to
2.0 in 2004 from 1.9 in 2003, the country's ranking fell as other
countries were more effective in fighting corruption than
Indonesia.

Since 1999, Indonesia's corruption index has moved between 1.7
and 2.0, suggesting that the reform movement has failed to reduce
corruption significantly in the country.

TI's corruption index was based on interviews with business
leaders, academics, activists and risk analysts from across
Indonesia.

"My administration will do its utmost to establish good
governance responsive to the public's needs and aspirations,"
vowed Susilo, a retired four-star Army general.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla stood beside Susilo as the
President delivered the address.

Susilo also pledged to pursue open economic policies that
would encourage international investment, while improving
productivity and competitiveness.

He said the government would embark on intensive and
constructive dialog with the business community, including
investors who he hoped could become the engine driving the
country's economy.

On the issue of terrorism, Susilo said it would be among his
top priorities. "The imminent threat of terrorism and other forms
of transnational crimes will continue to haunt us."

However, Susilo warned the country not to expect immediate
change. "We must remember that we will be walking a difficult
path and will face huge challenges ahead."

Susilo and Kalla took their oaths of office before members of
the People's Consultative Assembly on Wednesday morning.

Scores of foreign leaders attended the ceremony, including
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Malaysian Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore and Timor L'Este Minister
Mari Alkatiri.

One notable absence at the inauguration ceremony was outgoing
president Megawati Soekarnoputri.

An aide to Megawati said she decided to skip the ceremony on
the grounds that there were no regulations requiring the outgoing
president to attend the swearing in of the new president.

Prior to delivering his inaugural address, Susilo said he had
expected to deliver the speech during his oath-taking ceremony.

"I had prepared this speech to be read after my inauguration,
according to political tradition .... But I deferred because I
honor the decision made by the People's Consultative Assembly,"
Susilo said before delivering the address before hundreds of
domestic and foreign journalists at the Merdeka Palace.

Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid said the decision not to
allow the President to give his address at the Assembly was based
on the notion that Susilo was directly elected by the people,
which dictated that he should address the nation, not the
Assembly members.

Of 675 Assembly members, 611 registered their attendance at
the inauguration. Susilo's own political vehicle, the Democratic
Party, was the only faction in the Assembly that was fully
represented by its members.

The inauguration ceremony for Susilo and Kalla took less than
an hour, helped largely by the lack of a speech from the new
President.

Susilo took his oath of office while a religious leader held a
copy of the Holy Koran above his head, signed the minutes of the
inauguration ceremony, joined a prayer and then departed the
Assembly for the State Palace.