PRESIDENT COMMENDS THREE PREDECESSORS

Jakarta, Aug 14 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed respect and the highest appreciation for his predecessors, BJ Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid, and Megawati Soekarnoputri.

In his state-of-the nation address on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of national independence at a House of Representatives plenary session here on Friday, President Yudhoyono expressed his highest respect and appreciation for his predecessors for their leadership and hard work during the first five difficult years of the Reform era.

"I would also like to convey my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all elements of the nation, who have contributed and assisted me in managing, safeguarding, and pursuing the path of our 'reformasi'", the president said.

He said during the these five years the country also has faced
challenges and trials, both from inside the country and from abroad, but the reform would truly bring about benefits and advantages to the nation and state.

The president admitted that ten years ago Indonesia suffered a devastating crisis because the year of 1999 was replete with problems and challenges.

"Many quarters, both at home and abroad, were concerned about the future of our country, including our survival as a country," the president said.
He said at least during that time, there were five scenarios of what could have happened to the future of the Republic of Indonesia.
According to the president, the first one predicted that Indonesia would undergo a Balkanization, splintered into many small states due to the emergence of strong regional sentiments all over the place.

And the second scenario predicted that Indonesia would be transformed into a hard-line Islamic state, on account of the rise of religious sentiments which eventually would marginalize the Pancasila ideology.

The third scenario predicted that Indonesia would change into a semi-authoritarian state with unclear direction.

The fourth scenario, conversely, saw Indonesia backtrack, to return to a strong authoritarian state.

And only few predicted that Indonesia would be able to apply the fifth scenario, namely becoming into a democratic state, let alone a stable and consolidated democratic state.

"But Thank God, we were able to go through those difficult years safely. In this year of 2009, ten years after reformasi, Indonesia is not only standing upright, but also glorious, from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island," he said.

The president said Indonesia at present is an advanced democratic country in Southeast Asia, a country which highly upholds the principle of the people's sovereignty in the life as nation and state.