Thus, it begins

While it offered little that was exceptional in this kind of address, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's inaugural speech gave us a picture of the concerns foremost in his mind.

However, it might be noted that, contrary to custom, Susilo delivered his address only a few hours after his installation yesterday at the State Palace, instead of before a plenary session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

As can be expected under the circumstances, the concerns he expressed are not much different from those that faced previous presidents since the fall of Soeharto in 1998.

A host of issues -- from the flagging economy to unemployment, from a prevailing environment of injustice and corruption to lack of good governance, and from foreign debt to the soaring global price of oil -- all were issues that received prominent mention in the president's inaugural address.

...Which is all good and well, of course. However, the question on the tip of the tongue of almost every Indonesian, now that the first burst of euphoria is over, is whether the new president will be able to live up to the expectations that his public image of strength and intellectuality has raised among the millions who voted him into office.

Not only must he confront the formidable issues above, but he must also win the support of the House of Representatives -- which is not controlled by either his Democratic Party nor the People's Coalition that supports him. Clearly, it will take a good deal of tact, as well as decisiveness and plain adroitness, on the part of President Susilo to push his policies through.

In all fairness, though, it must be said that the new president has not let his electorate down so far. True to his earlier promise to set a new political tradition for Indonesia, Susilo began his speech by thanking his predecessor, Megawati Soekarnoputri, whom he would "always respect" for her efforts that made a peaceful, democratic and orderly transition of governments possible. By doing so, the President said, Indonesia had not only proved to itself that it was capable of applying democracy, but it had also set an example for the world.

Susilo promised the peoples of Indonesia that he would serve as a true "president of the people" and stand above the interests of any group or individual for the duration of his tenure. He also promised he would strive to establish good governance and personally lead the fight against corruption.

Analysts, however, warn that this could prove to be one of the greatest stumbling blocks the new president will have to overcome. For this reason, Susilo's choice of a new attorney general and police chief is widely regarded as crucial, and their performance over the first 100 days in office is certain to be followed closely.

The new president also had a few words of assurance for the international community as well, pledging that the country would continue to pursue peace and justice in its foreign policy.

In an apparent effort to allay fears in the international community that Indonesia might one day shift its stance and become more radical in its religious outlook, he declared that the country would always maintain a modern, pluralist and tolerant stance -- a stance that is anchored in the nation's diverse cultures and traditions.

To summarize, while it cannot be said that President Susilo has offered anything that can be called unusual, dramatic or even sensational in his inaugural address yesterday, it nevertheless constituted a delivery of reassurances aimed at both the Indonesian public and the international community.

Megawati's inaugural speech, of course, was no different, but the administration under her and Hamzah Haz did not succeed in some of the tasks with which it was entrusted, such as eradicating corruption -- and the failure of the anticorruption drive under Megawati was a major driving force that contributed to Susilo's landslide victory in the Sept. 20 election.

The apparent lesson that must be learned by President Susilo and Vice President Kalla from this failure is that they must be more persistent and determined in fulfilling their promises and the people's expectations for sweeping change and reform.