Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Fighting corruption and accelerating bureaucratic and administrative reforms. These were the highlights of the keynote speech of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who, this morning, was sworn in for his second term before Parliament. Together with the Head of State, vice-president Boediono, former Governor of the Central Bank of Indonesia, also swore his oath of office. The absence of the former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, was noticeable. He has deep rooted personal grudges against Yudhoyono, once her right hand man.
Yudhoyono, 60, won a second term after his victory at the polls last July, when he triumphed in the first round with over 60% of the votes. The president and vice president were sworn in before the Indonesian Parliament - the Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat (MPR) in Senayan, central Jakarta - chaired by Taufik Kiemas, husband of Megawati. The ceremony was broadcast live on television.
The Head of State, elected in 2004 for his first term, was able to regain voters' confidence through a policy of economic stabilization after years of difficulties, the result of the military dictatorship that marked the country. He has boosted finance and the national economy which this year - despite the global crisis – is expected to reach growth levels of 4%. Among his other merits, the fight against Islamic terrorism (Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world, ed) whereby he has gained trust and respect on the international political landscape.
Among the parties supporting the coalition led by Yudhoyono - leader of the Democrat Party - there are also the nationalist Golkar Party, the Islamic radical movement Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the moderate Islamic National Awakening Party (PKB), the nationalist National Mandate Party (Pan), the moderate Muslim and nationalist party the United Development Party (PPP). The national opposition is fronted by Hanura, led by former army chief General Wiranto and Gerindra, chaired by Prabowo Subianto.
The real thorn in the side of President Yudhoyono is represented by Megawati, leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP), who has never forgiven the betrayal of the current president, once her right hand man. In 2004, when he was Minister for Security and Political Affairs in the government led by Megawati, Yudhoyono resigned from the prestigious assignment to set up - in secret - the Democrat Party. A move that Megawati has never forgiven: in addition to the swearing in ceremony today, the former head of state has never in recent years, attended the independence celebrations of 17 August, despite repeated personal invitations.
Yudhoyono will now appoint his government team: among the key areas security - that will be entrusted to Djoko Suyanto, former head of the armed forces and personal friend of the President - the economy, which should go to Hatta Radjasa, a leading political moderate. Politicians and analysts do not expect the president to assign leading posts to exponents of the radical movement Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), whose chief should get the Ministry for Information.