SBY Pledges Democrat Party's 11 Key Programs

Sidoarjo, E Java (Antara) - Democrat Party chief patron Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono spoke of the party's 11 key programs in the last round of the party's campaign at the Delta Sports Stadium in East Java's Sidoarjo district on Saturday. "During 10 years of my leadership (as the country's president) I have given proof, rather than promises. I also have offered concrete things, rather than discourse," Yudhoyono said in his speech. During the campaign period, he said he had traveled throughout Indonesia to ask the party's cadres, sympathizers and the public to support the party's awakening and continue their struggle for the party's glory in the coming election. "This is because in five years' time the Democrat Party, along with the people, must struggle to make Indonesia, particularly East Java, better and more advanced," he said. The main target of the Democrat Party's programs is reducing the number of people living in poverty and continuing pro-people programs through school operational assistance, among others, he said. "In addition, the party will also continue cash handouts and subsidized rice for the poor. Nearly Rp1,000 trillion will be allocated for these programs," he said. Budget allocations for general and religious education will also be raised to Rp3,000 trillion. As a result, the salaries of teachers, lecturers and researchers will increase. To promote the health of the nation, the number of public health service posts, hospitals, doctors and medical workers will also be increased, he said. The rising demand for food and energy is also high on the list of the party's programs. Therefore, the party is trying to increase corn, rice and soybean production by allocating Rp3,000 trillion in subsidies to the agricultural sector, he said. "We will also continue the program to promote small businesses and entrepreneurs and to train two million youths to become self-reliant entrepreneurs by raising the amount of smallholder business credits to Rp200 trillion," he said. (*)