PRESIDENT: ELECTIONS MUST NOT HARM BROTHERHOOD

Jakarta, May 30 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on all sides here on Saturday to maintain brotherhood in the midst of competition to win the presidential election on July 8.

"If we are together, united and not blaming each other with regard to current financial crisis God willing our country will be saved," he said at a mass prayers event at the Istiqlal Mosque.
He said creating brotherhood could be done through implementing civil and ethical democracy.

"Continue maintaining the brotherhood. That is what we are going to do. Avoid divisions just because of elections. Whatever happens there must not be divisions," he said.

At the event attended by more than 5,000 Moslems President Yudhoyono called on the people to continue following the examples already set by Prophet Mohammad.

"The Prophet is a leader that takes no sides and protects all sides and is also able to develop national character. That is what we have to follow," he said.

The event also heard a sermon from As Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, a Moslem intellectual from abroad.

On the occasion President Yudhoyono expressed appreciation to Kabbani's presence and said that since 2003 he had known him and received a lot of advice from him to follow the Prophet's examples in leading the country.

President Yudhoyono will seek his reelection in the election in July with former chief economic minister and central bank governor Boediono as his running mate.

He would compete with former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and Jusuf Kalla, the current vice president in the election.