The SBY magic

The SBY magic

The rise to power of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono may be
attributed to magical power or charisma. This magical power was
expected to continue to work wonders during the first 100 days of
his administration and beyond, but many have become disillusioned
by a certain decline in his popularity, although the President
himself has brushed it aside.

In a number of demonstrations, students have accused him of
lying to the people by not honoring his pledge to quickly
eradicate corruption and poverty, and improve employment
opportunities in the aftermath of the case of the illegal workers
in Malaysia. Susilo visited Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to seek an
amicable settlement of burning bilateral issues, relying on his
magical diplomacy, but the results have so far been
disappointing.

Only the handling of the tsunami disaster has been
more successful, thanks in part to the assistance received from
international organizations and friendly governments, although
the pace of assistance remains slow and coordination poor,
according to some observers. The attention paid by world leaders
like former U.S. presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, to come
to Aceh and meet President Susilo and offer more help for the
tsunami reconstruction program, has enhanced Susilo's
international popularity.

In the coming days Susilo must prove that he can regain his
magic over the students to get them to accept the government's
plan to increase the price of fuel.

Susilo's magic in appealing for the release of two Indonesian
journalists kidnapped in Iraq failed to work after three days of
the appeal and there was no response from the kidnappers.

In the confrontation with the Acehnese separatist movement, it
seems that the present administration has been intoxicated by the
magic spell of the rebels by agreeing to a fruitless meeting in
Helsinki to discuss the future of a province under the
sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.

Susilo's magic has surrendered to the rebels' intransigent
attitude. But President Susilo has many arrows in reserve.
Already his presidential spokesman has announced he will shortly
embark on a tour of a number of foreign countries to introduce
the new Indonesia under his leadership, and to try his magic
somewhere else.

GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta