JAKARTA, Indonesia — The news that the "Menteng kid," an affectionate reference to Barack Obama and the neighborhood where he spent four years as a boy, had postponed his visit until June brought disappointment here.

"It's a shame, as he has already been president for over a year but has not come back to Indonesia," said Anang Maruf, 23, who studied for a year at the same Catholic school Obama attended in Jakarta.

The White House announced yesterday that Obama had delayed his trip to Guam, Bali, Indonesia and Australia because he wanted to remain in Washington to push Congress to pass his health care measure. The departure date had already been pushed back once.

Obama moved here from Hawai'i in 1967, at age 6, with his mother and her second husband, an Indonesian.

Yesterday, Obama assured Indonesians that he is looking forward to visiting his former home once the health care debate is resolved. In an interview airing today on RCTI, Indonesia's largest commercial television network, Obama says it makes sense to wait until June so he and his family are not rushed when they visit.