SBY calls on students to remain independent, objective

Antara ,  Surabaya   |  Mon, 05/12/2008 8:05 PM  |  National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked university students to remain independent and objective when conveying their aspirations to the government.

Speaking at National Education Day's peak event at the Airlangga University campus here on Monday, the president said students should not get trapped in the power games of certain
political groups.

The president said he appreciated university student's critical thinking when providing input on ways to solve the nation`s problems.

"I have perceived the existence of a spirit with which students view the state and nation`s conditions," the president said.

"Students with idealism do not want to be trapped within partisan politics."

Yudhoyono received a working paper from the university's Students Executive Board chairman Adri Suyanto on Sunday.

"After carefully reading the paper, I found it contains seven ideas for the government to make improvements within the country, and I really appreciate it," Yudhoyono said.

In the paper, the board asked the government to better manage natural resources and state strategic assets, to settle the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Assistance (BLBI) case and other corruption cases, to provide affordable and quality education and health, to overcome food and energy problems, to reform the bureaucracy and eradicate the court's mafia, and to maintain environmental preservation and protection.

In response to the students` demands, Yudhoyono said the government was continuously making efforts to overcome the problems within the country and adopting policies to improve
people`s welfare.

At the event, the president was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Home Affairs Minister Madiyanto, National Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo, Communication and Information Minister M Nuh, State Minister for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Suryadharma Ali, State Minister for Accelerated Development of Disadvantaged Regions Lukman Edi, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi and East Java Governor Imam Utomo. (**)

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