SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO

HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO

President of Indonesia

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the politi cal leader of the most populous Muslim country in the world. Commonly referred to as SBY, he has had marked influence over the country as the first directly elected president of Indonesia and over the world as a champion of anti-terrorism efforts and a beacon of democracy in the Muslim world.

Beacon of Democracy

President Yudhoyono came to power after a success ful career with the Indonesian National Army as a four-star general - when he was dubbed “the thinking general” for his efforts toward military reform. This reputation, and a pristine political career with the administrations of former Presidents Ab­durrahman Wahid and Megawati Sukarnoputri are the bases upon which the Democratic Party was founded in 2001. This new political party was founded on the pancasila or five basic principles (belief in the Oneness of God, just and civilized humanity, the unity of Indonesia, democracy, and social justice) with the goal of launching Yudhoyono’s candidacy for the 2004 elections. Since then, he has become increasingly influential as a beacon of democracy for a country historically marred by corruption and political instability. He was re-elected for a second and final five-year term in October 2009.

Popular Reformist

Besides proposing military reform, President Yudhoyono has been recognized for his efforts to establish regional autonomy laws and resolve the separatist conflict in the Aceh and Papua provinces. He has also been credited for reviving the economy, and for his market-friendly approach to reform. He works closely with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to clean up graft and corruption in Indonesia. The resulting economic and political stability has been attributed to his unique influence and the power of his personal leadership.

Force for Anti-Terrorism Initiatives

Yudhoyono’s increasing popularity is also due in part to the sincerity with which he actualizes his promises to the Indonesian people such as the promises for anti-terrorism enforcement made during his 2004 election campaign. Indonesia has worked closely with Australian intel ligence and security forces to quell extremist threats. In response to the July 2009 hotel bomb ings in Jakarta, President Yudhoyono has been vigilant about openly condemning the perpe trators as agents of terrorism and simultaneously voices his dedication to establishing peace and security in Indonesia through programs that target education and poverty-alleviation in key areas where militants may prey on youth.