Antara News, Wednesday, November 10, 2010 13:06 WIB
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - US President Barack Obama wrapped up his less than 24-hour visit to Jakarta on Wednesday by declaring that Indonesia was part of his life. "`Indonesia bagian dari diri saya`," President Obama said in his address at the University of Indonesia (UI) Campus in Depok, on the outskirt of Jakarta, in fluent Bahasa Indonesia.
His words were greeted warmly by the audience. In his address, Obama touched on his sweet memories during a four years of his childhood period in Jakarta.
He said he first came to Indonesia when his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, who married to an Indonesian, Lolo Soetoro, moved to Jakarta and lived in Menteng Dalam in the late 1960s.
Obama, who had also studied at two different public schools in Jakarta when he was only six to ten years of age, said Hotel Indonesia and Sarinah shopping center were the only two high-rise buildings in the Indonesian capital city in 1967.
Besides the two icons, Obama also well remembered "becaks" ( trishaws) and "bemos" (three-wheeled cars) moving around the roads in Jakarta in the late 1960s.
This 44th president of the United States of America also touched on his favorite Indonesian foods, "sate" (satay) and "bakso" (meat balls). "Sate... bakso enak ya! (Satay and meat balls are delicious!)" he said.
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday for a less than 24 hour-visit until Wednesday.
The US Air Force One carrying the US head of state and his entourage landed on Tuesday at 4.20 PM at Halim Perdanakusuma airport in Jakarta after a six-hour flight from India.
From Jakarta, Obama and his entourage will proceed to Seoul, South Korea, to attending the G-20 Summit also attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also attended.
Regarding his short visit to Indonesia, Indonesian ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal said President Obama`s visit would strengthen the two countries` bilateral relations under a comprehensive partnership.
"RI-US relations are now better structured. It means that RI-US relations are undergoing a transformation toward a significant increase," Dino said.
Obama`s brief visit would also be used to increase trade and investment as well as technology transfer, he said.
On Tuesday, President Obama held bilateral talks with President Yudhoyono and attended a state banquet at Merdeka Palace. On the occasion, former President Megawati Soekarnoputri was also present and sat beside Michelle.
Before delivering a public speech at the University of Indonesia, Obama visited the Istiqlal Grand mosque.
In response to President Obama`s brief state visit, an economist argued that it might have been motivated by the superpower`s efforts to maintain its economic dominance.
"The superpower`s efforts to maintain its dominance in capital ownership, foreign investment or market widening were triggered by its economic crisis," Ahmad Ma`ruf said.
Due to the on-going impacts of the global financial crisis that had weakened the US economy, Obama needed the markets of such potential countries as India and Indonesia, he said.
According to the economist of Yogyakarta-based Muhammadiyah University, Obama`s visit would benefit American business people more than their Indonesian counterparts.
"American business people will get much more benefit from President Obama`s visit than those of Indonesia," he said.
Obama`s visit could likely be a starting step to pave the way for American businessmen to target Indonesia`s privatizing state companies, said the executive director of the university`s Institute for Public Policy and Economic Studies.
Students cheering as United States President Barack Obama delivers his speech at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta on Wednesday. (AFP Photo/Jim Watson)
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