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View all search resultsPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lunched at a warung (roadside stall), Vice President Jusuf Kalla talked to a biscuit salesman and former President Megawati Soekarnoputri learned to weave a cloth, just another day on the campaign trail for the three presidential candidates
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lunched at a warung (roadside stall), Vice President Jusuf Kalla talked to a biscuit salesman and former President Megawati Soekarnoputri learned to weave a cloth, just another day on the campaign trail for the three presidential candidates.
Yudhoyono began his campaign Saturday morning in the West Java town of Cirebon, speaking before 2,500 supporters at Bima Stadium.
He called for "big" businesses to give more space to their smaller counterparts, saying that both played significant roles in supporting the country's economy.
"Big businesses are necessary, and they should continue, but they should not dominate every business sector. Remember your brothers and sisters; it'll be pitiful for them. Give others a chance to run their businesses," Yudhoyono was quoted as saying by Antara.
From Cirebon, on the way to Semarang, SBY stopped by in the Central Java town of Tegal, which is renowned for its warteg, an acronym for warung tegal, traditional food stalls usually situated on sidewalks.
Yudhoyono had his lunch at one of the wartegs, indulging in fried fish, squid, prawn and "delicious" sayur asem (vegetable sour soup), while dozens of curious people crowded around him.
While Yudhoyono headed eastward, Kalla headed West to the Banten town of Lebak, where he spoke with local community figures and supporters.
Kalla promised to improve the town's infrastructure, including providing more roads and electricity if he was elected president.
He also promised to create more jobs by opening factories to improve the local economy and average incomes.
"Good leaders are needed to create a good life," he said.
The incumbent Vice President then flew to the East Kalimantan city of Balikpapan, where he spoke before hundreds of supporters in Merdeka Square.
He promised to retain Indonesia's ownership of the oil-rich Ambalat maritime area, which has recently been the subject of a border conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia.
"Ambalat belongs to us. We will keep it either through diplomatic measures or through war," Kalla said when responding to a question from a biscuit salesman.
He promised to increase the country's defense budget to fi-nance the warship fleet, as well as improve labor regulations deemed responsible for causing the increasing numbers of companies outsourcing.
Megawati, who was in Bali on Saturday, began her day by visiting a local painting workshop in Kamasan village, Klungkung regency.
She then visited a woven cloth workshop in Gianyar regency and trialed the traditional weaving machine.
Before thousands of supporters at Kapten Japa Field in Denpasar, Megawati said she was "concerned" by attempts to "reduce the authority of the commission", referring to Yudhoyono's published statement suggesting that he wanted to reduce the authority of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Yudhoyono denied the allegations, saying the published statement had been taken out of context.
Megawati also reminded the audience of her party's rejection of the 2008 pornography law that has been criticized for jeopardizing religious pluralism.
"We were the only party brave trying to prevent the endorsement and enactment of the law," she said.
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