'SBY weakness is his indecisiveness'

'SBY weakness is his indecisiveness'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Makmur, sells pirated textbooks at Borobudur University:

For us in the lower income bracket, there is no difference
whether it is the New Order, reform era, or Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono's administration. When the president changes it doesn't
affect us directly. However, of the promises I heard made on TV,
I don't think Susilo has fulfilled even one during his first 100
days.

What matters to us is stability of the economy and prices. The
economy has not improved, the prices of daily needs are even
starting to creep up. I just hope things will improve.

Yuli, is a a housewife living in Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta:

I think so far only a few have benefited from the new
government. A new president means that new people, who are owed
favors, will get projects and appointments. Those of us in the
middle to lower class don't feel that anything has changed. My
husband, who lost his job in 2002, still can't find a job.

The most important thing is the economy. I just hope things
will be better for my eight-year-old son.

Rahadian, 22, produces radio and television commercials for an
advertising company in Central Jakarta. He lives in Kebon Jeruk,
West Jakarta:

Changes or improvements in the first 100 days of SBY's Cabinet
have not materialized. If the quake and tsunami disaster hadn't
happened, those changes may have been visible. I would say that
he has made 10 percent of the improvements he promised.

If he would just have ordered Sutiyoso to go on with former
governor Ali Sadikin's idea about organizing traffic and provide
sufficient transportation in Jakarta, I wouldn't have to be late
all the time for my appointments.

Samlami, 54, is a fruit vendor in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta:

SBY has not fulfilled his promise to overcome flood problems
or corruption, collusion, and nepotism in this country. Even now,
city officials are taking advantage of the aid.

However, I feel safer now than during the leadership of
Megawati Seokarnoputri. Crimes in my neighborhood are not as
frequent or as violent as before. Still, people in my
neighborhood believe that Soeharto's era was better.

Asrofuddin Nur Widodo, 42, is secretary to the Jakarta General
Elections Commission (KPUD) and a postgraduate student of a
private university in South Jakarta. He lives in Cipayung, East
Jakarta:

One good side of SBY that I can immediately see is his
honesty. He admits that his government has not been able to live
up to the promises he made during the election campaigns.

But I am pessimistic that SBY will be able to fulfill all of
the promises such as fighting against corruption, creating good
governance and improving people's welfare.

I do not think that SBY has taken significant actions to
eradicate corruption in the bureaucracy. It seems that his threat
to impose tough measures on corruptors means nothing to
bureaucrats. Corruption takes place as usual.

His biggest weakness is that he is indecisive. It can be seen
from the sluggish distribution of aid to victims of the quake and
tsunami in Aceh and North Sumatra. The Vice President is more
active in this area.

In the future, SBY must be more decisive.