Prabowo makes election promises in Cirebon

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 06/20/2009 4:40 PM  |  Presidential Election

Vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto signed a political contract with farmers and fishermen in Cirebon, West Java, on Saturday promising subsidized diesel fuel for fishermen, cheap fertilizers for farmers and to rebuild infrastructure.

Tempointeraktif.com reported that Prabowo spoke to fishermen at the fish market at Gebang Mekar village and discussed the inefficiency of state firms and the prevalent poverty among the people.

"If the people remain poor, should this be continued?" he said in front of the fishermen, referring to the campaign slogan of incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: Lanjutkan (Continue).

During the dialogue, some farmers asked Prabowo to provide cheap fertilizers, quality seeds and rebuild damaged infrastructure if he was elected. One rattan furniture manufacturer asked Prabowo to stop the exports of raw rattan, and Prabowo agreed, before signing a political contract with the farmers and fishermen.

Prabowo, accompanied by, among others, artist Jamal Mirdad,  went on to visit Gedongan Islamic boarding school in Pangenan, Cirebon, where he was welcomed by boarding school principal Amin Syiradz and hundreds of students, many of whom wanted to take photographs with them. Prabowo promised, if elected vice president, he would come back and rebuild the boarding school.

Prabowo is the running mate of presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri. The other presidential candidates are President Yudhoyono, who is paired with economist Boediono, and Vice President Jusuf Kalla with former military chief Wiranto.

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