PKB HOPES SBY TO IMPROVE ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOLS' ECONOMY

Jakarta, June 12 (ANTARA) - The National Awakening Party (PKB) supports the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)-Boediono ticket hoping the pair will pay attention to the economy of Islamic boarding schools ('pesantren'), a PKB executive said. .

"If they win the presidential election, the PKB will just ask them to pay more attention to the life and welfare of 'pesantren'," PKB Secretary General Lukman Edy said here Thursday when attending the declaration of the support of 'Laskar-13' and 'Laskar Jayakarta' for the SBY-Boediono pair.

Lukman Edy, who is concurrently minister for development acceleration of backward regions, said his party supported SBY-Boediono not to obtain ministerial posts but for the economic improvement of Islamic boarding schools.

"If SBY has a commitment to assisting 'pesantren' and is reelected for the next five years (2009-2014), I think it will be enough for PKB," he said.

He was optimistic that PKB and its wing Laskar-13 would be able to bring SBY-Boediono to victory in one round in the upcoming presidential election on July 8, 2009. .

According to certain surveys, the SBY-Boediono presidential and vice presidential candidate pair from the Democratic Party are likely win 58-60 percent of the vote.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has set schedules for closed-door campaigning from June 2 to 10, and mass rallies from June 11 to July 4, 2009. The presidential elections will be held on July 8, 2009.

Incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who pairs with Boediono, is competing with other candidates, namely Jusuf Kalla and his running mate retired General Wiranto, as well as with former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo in the upcoming presidential race.

Last Thursday (June 11), Yudhoyono started his campaign by attending a dialog with traders at the Tanah Abang market in central Jakarta. The dialog dubbed "Presidential candidate visits the market" was held in the market's Block A building.