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Obama hails Indonesian general election
Wednesday, 15 July
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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