General TNI (Ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, popularly known as SBY, was born in Pacitan, East Java, on 9 September 1949. Born in
Pacitan,
East Java, on
September 9,
1949, to a lower-middle class family and is the son of Raden Soekotjo, an army officer, and Siti Habibah. Since he was a child, he always wanted to be in the army.His first school was Sekolah Rakyat Gadjahmada (now is SDN Baleharjo I). Yudhoyono developed a reputation as an extremely talented student in addition to being an
academic achiever, excelling in writing poems, short stories, and play-acting. Yudhoyono was also talented in music and sport, reflected when he and his friends established a
volleyball club called "Klub Rajawali" and a
band called "Gaya Teruna".Music became a hobby for Yudhoyono and he often sang one of his favorite songs, "Pelangi di Matamu" during his presidential campaign
A. Education
When he was in 5th grade, Yudhoyono visited the National Military Academy (AMN) at Magelang. After seeing the soldiers training there and perhaps inspired by his own father's career, Yudhoyono became determined to join
ABRI and become a soldier.
Yudhoyono spent three years at Akabri (Academy of Indonesian Armed Forces) and became the Commander of the Cadet Corps Division there. He graduated from Akabri in 1973, and as the best
graduate of the year, received the prestigious Adhi Makayasa Medal from President
Suharto.. He received his fourth star in 2000.
He was educated in the United States, where he received his Masters degree in Management from Webster University in 1991. He continued his study and earned a Doctorate Degree in Agricultural Economics from Bogor Institute of Agriculture, West Java, Indonesia, in 2004. President Yudhoyono was awarded with two honorary doctorates in 2005, respectively in the field of law from his alma mater, Webster University, and in political science from Thammasat University in Thailand.
B. Political Career
Yudhoyono was appointed to his old position of Coordinating Minister of Politics and Security in Megawati's new Cabinet. After the
October 2002 Bali bombing, he oversaw the hunt for and arrest of those responsible, and gained a reputation both in Indonesia and abroad as one of the few Indonesian politicians serious about the
War on Terrorism. His speech during the one year anniversary of the Bali bombing (in which many Australians were killed) was praised by the Australian media and public.
The turning point came on 1st March 2004, when Yudhoyono's secretary, Sudi Silalahi announced to the media that for the last 6 months, Yudhoyono had been excluded from policy decision-making in the field of Politics and Security.On
2 March, Megawati responded that she had never excluded Yudhoyono while her husband,
Taufik Kiemas called Yudhoyono childish for complaining to the media instead of the President herself. On
8 March, Yudhoyono sent a letter asking for permission to meet the President about his ministerial authorities. Megawati did not respond when she received the letter, although she invited Yudhoyono along to a Cabinet meeting on
11 March. Yudhoyono did not attend the Cabinet meeting and instead held a press conference at his office and announced his resignation from the position of Coordinating Minister of Politics and Security. Yudhoyono also announced that he is ready to be nominated as President.
Yudhoyono accepted the nomination and picked Golkar's
Jusuf Kalla as his running mate. Aside from PD, their Presidential and Vice Presidential candidacy were also supported by the
Crescent Star Party (PBB),
Star Reform Party (PBR) and
Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).On
5 July 2004, Yudhoyono participated in the first round of Presidential Elections coming first with 33% of the votes. However, 50% of votes are required for a new President and Vice President to be elected and this meant Yudhoyono going into a run-off against Megawati. For the run-off, Yudhoyono faced challenge from Megawati's
Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), forming a National Coalition with Golkar, PPP,
Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) and
Indonesian National Party (PNI). Yudhoyono then declared that his coalition, which now received political support from the
National Awakening Party (PKB),
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the
National Mandate Party (PAN), would be the People's Coalition On
20 September 2004, Yudhoyono participated in the run-off election, winning it with 60.87% of the vote.
Yudhoyono was inaugurated as President on
20 October 2004.
C. Presidental Career
Recently Yudhoyono made the unpopular decision to cut fuel subsidy and increase the fuel prices. And made his popularity became down.
D. Family
Yudhoyono lives both in the Presidential
Merdeka Palace in
Jakarta and his family residence in Cikeas,
Bogor with his wife, Ani Bambang Yudhoyono. First Lady Ani Yudhoyono (pronounced ah-nee bumb-bung, maiden name: Kristiani Herawati) is a holder of political science degree from local Merdeka University, and was the first vice chairman of her husband's political vehicle Democratic Party. She is also the eldest child of
General (Ret.) Sarwo Edhie Wibowo, one of Indonesia's high-profile generals.
The family's elder son, First Lieutenant Agus Harimurti (born 1978), graduated from the reputable
Taruna Nusantara High School in 1997 and Indonesian Military Academy in 2000 and is a holder of the Adhi Makayasa Medal like his father. He is currently an army first lieutenant, assigned to an infantry battalion in
Bandung,
West Java and is married to Annisa Larasati Pohan,a model and also the daughter of an ex-Bank Indonesia vice-president, since July 8th, 2005. In July 2006, Agus was graduated from Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies,
Singapore in master degree of Strategic Studies. He is currently posted in Lebanon, being a member of Indonesian contingent for
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.The family's younger son, Edhie Baskoro (born 1980), received a degree with double major, Financial Commerce and eCommerce in 2005 from the
Curtin University of Technology, in
Perth,
Western Australia and currently following his brother's footsteps in pursuing his Master Degree in the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies,
Singapore.
E.Others
President Yudhoyono is a keen reader and has authored a number of books and articles including: Transforming Indonesia: Selected International Speeches (2005), Peace deal with Aceh is just a beginning (2005), The Making of a Hero (2005), Revitalization of the Indonesian Economy: Business, Politics and Good Governance (2002), and Coping with the Crisis - Securing the Reform (1999). Taman Kehidupan (Garden of Life) is his anthology published in 2004. President Yudhoyono speaks English fluently.
