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Obama hails Indonesia vote
The Associated Press , Washington | Wed, 07/15/2009 9:25 AM | World
President Barack Obama on Tuesday commended Indonesia's recent presidential election as "free and fair."Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a 59-year-old retired general and the first directly elected head of state in the predominantly Muslim naion of 235 million, easily won re-election last week.
"The people of Indonesia held a free and fair election on July 8, and President Yudhoyono has impressively won re-election," Obama said in a statement Tuesday.
"I wish to offer my personal congratulations to President Yudhoyono and make clear America desire to work with him and the Indonesian people in the years to come to build an even stronger relationship between our two countries."
Obama said the Southeast Asian nation's "high voter turnout, spirited campaigns by all contending parties, and high level of interest among Indonesia's media, civic organizations, and voting public" were evidence that its democracy was strengthening.
Indonesia is often ranked among the most corrupt nations in the world by anti-graft campaigner Transparency International.
Yudhoyono has gained an image as a leader of high moral integrity. Indonesia's Corruption Eraication Commission put scores of tainted officials behind bars on his watch.
His administration has pumped billions of dollars into cash handouts for the poor and fuel cuts, policies that helped his party triple its seats in legislative elections in April.
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Bodong (not verified) — Wed, 07/15/2009 - 10:51am
"free and fair election"? you're too naive Mr. Hussein.
David K. — Wed, 07/15/2009 - 10:27am
Wouldn't the most prudent thing for all these world leaders to do would wait till the final outcome of the presidential elections before handing out congratulations. If Mr. Obama would properly read the reports his intelligence team probably provided to him it would reveal that the count is not yet done, and that there are many calling out discrepencies in voting rights, voting counts, and other items.
Also it's amusing that in one sentence Indonesia is ranked high in the corrupt nations, then sby is named a leader of high moral integrity, yet in another sentence discusses giving direct cash handouts for the poor (which I guess isn't bribing, as I guess the proper definition of bribing is for poorer people to give cash to rich people for a certain act, and not rich people giving cash to poor people for a certain act), then take credit for fuel cuts when fuel prices have dropped with the lower crude prices from previous year(s) which is directly credited for his party's success in the legislative elections as well as his own success Im assuming in this election.