First day in office for President Megawati<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri woke up as president for
\nthe first time on Tuesday and immediately got down to work in her
\ncapacity as chief executive.<\/p>\n
But her activities were limited to her official office at
\nMerdeka Selatan Palace, since ousted president Abdurrahman Wahid
\nhad still refused to vacate the presidential palace.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro, dismissed by her
\npredecessor Abdurrahman Wahid, was her first official guest on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
The President met with Bimantoro, along with Jakarta Police
\nchief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob, for about 15 minutes.<\/p>\n
The role of the two police commanders had been pivotal over
\nthe past few days, as they had refused to carry out Abdurrahman's
\nthen presidential order to freeze the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, to prevent it from reconvening the Special Session.<\/p>\n
Megawati then received Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, who had
\nalso been pivotal in her election, as he had spearheaded the move
\nto accelerate the Assembly Special Session that ultimately
\nrevoked Abdurrahman's presidential mandate.<\/p>\n
Amien stressed that his visit was primarily a courtesy call,
\nbut conceded that the two had also discussed the impending vice
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
According to Amien, Megawati did not have any special
\npreference or favored candidate to replace her as vice president.<\/p>\n
\"Surprisingly, Ibu Megawati expressed her readiness to
\ncooperate with anyone who is elected in a fair and constitutional
\nprocess at the Special Session,\" Amien remarked.<\/p>\n
After Amien, former coordinating minister for political,
\nsocial and security affairs Gen. (ret.) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
\nwent to see her.<\/p>\n
To reporters after the meeting, Susilo denied speculation that
\nhe was a favored candidate for the vice presidency and that his
\nvisit to the new president was part of his lobby.<\/p>\n
\"This is just a courtesy call to congratulate the new
\nPresident,\" Susilo remarked.<\/p>\n
Megawati then received outgoing ministers from Abdurrahman's
\nCabinet that she had suspended at midnight. Included among them
\nwere Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bungaran Saragih.<\/p>\n
Megawati has promised to announce her Cabinet lineup within
\ndays.<\/p>\n
Indonesia 1<\/p>\n
The President looked cheerful as she went about her
\npresidential duties, arriving in the morning in a limousine
\nbearing the license plate \"Indonesia 1\".<\/p>\n
Vestiges of Abdurrahman were quickly removed from the vice
\npresidential palace as staff removed from the walls Abdurrahman's
\nportrait and replaced it with Megawati's, signifying her ascent
\nto the presidency.<\/p>\n
The frame of her portrait, on which had been written, \"Vice
\nPresident of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri,\"
\nhad also been replaced.<\/p>\n
In contrast to the glum climate at the presidential palace,
\nmost of Megawati's staff were in buoyant mood, many expecting to
\nmove in to new offices in the very near future.<\/p>\n
As vice president, Megawati retained most of the vice
\npresidential staff from the administration, with few new
\nappointees from her own party.<\/p>\n
About a kilometer away, a few tried to remain defiant at the
\npresidential palace, but it was clear that time had run out.<\/p>\n
Former presidential spokesman Adhie Massardi said Abdurrahman
\nremained insistent that he was still the legitimate president of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
But even as he spoke, many of the presidential perks were
\nquietly being withdrawn. Sooner, rather than later, Abdurrahman
\nwould have to rely on the facilities he would be allowed as a
\nformer president.<\/p>\n
Law No. 7\/1978 specifies that former presidents and vice
\npresidents are entitled to a pension equivalent to 100 percent of
\ntheir basic salary, appropriate housing, a car and chauffeur,
\nsecurity guards and an exemption from paying telephone, water and
\nelectricity bills.<\/p>\n
The president's basic salary is Rp 26.7 million (US$2,600) per
\nmonth, while a vice president's is Rp 22 million.<\/p>\n
Even Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Chairman Hasyim Muzadi conceded that
\nAbdurrahman had to face the reality that had already dawned on
\nthe nation, and that it was only a matter of time before the
\nformer first family left the palace.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after meeting with Abdurrahman and
\nformer first lady Sinta Nuriyah on Tuesday, Hasyim said Sinta was
\nvery eager to return soon to their private residence at Ciganjur,
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Ibu Sinta told me that their departure would be up to the
\npalace, and she asked for one or two more days to think about
\nit,\" Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
Hasyim added that he only shared light banter with the former
\npresident and avoided serious discussion.<\/p>\n
\"I like to see him laughing like that. It seems that Gus Dur
\ndidn't consider the dismissal a personal matter,\" Hasyim said.
\n(dja\/tso\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/first-day-in-office-for-president-megawati-1447893297",
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