Good-bye the hardest word for Mega<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Saying good-bye is never easy, but it is especially difficult for
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri as she prepares to leave her
\nchildhood home, the Presidential Palace.<\/p>\n
As her tenure officially came to an end on Tuesday, Megawati
\ntook care of some final business and bid farewell to her
\nhousehold staff, who have served her over the past three and a
\nhalf years.<\/p>\n
On her final day in office, Megawati signed a presidential
\ndecree appointing Anwar Nasution as the State Audit Agency chief,
\nand signed the national social security system bill into law.<\/p>\n
Over the last two weeks, Megawati has signed at least 18
\npresidential decrees and laws as she has attended to last-minute
\nbusiness.<\/p>\n
Before leaving the palace on Tuesday, Megawati shook hands and
\nsaid good-bye to staff from the protocol, press and household
\noffices.<\/p>\n
"Ibu, may we see each other again," said one staff member from
\nthe protocol office.<\/p>\n
Then Megawati descended the front steps of the palace, climbed
\ninto her official car and waved good-bye to staff and journalists
\nstanding outside the palace.<\/p>\n
Megawati, however, remained silent about reports she would not
\nattend the inauguration of president-elect Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono, her former chief security minister.<\/p>\n
The somber scene at the State Palace was in stark contrast
\nwith the scene across the National Monument park at the vice
\npresidential office, where Vice President Hamzah Haz hosted
\nincoming vice president-elect Jusuf Kalla.<\/p>\n
After meeting for about one hour, Hamzah introduced Kalla to
\nthe staff at the office and gave him a tour.<\/p>\n
Kalla, however, said he would work from president Soeharto's
\nBina Graha office.<\/p>\n
"I am grateful to the invitation from Pak Hamzah to visit the
\noffice today," Kalla said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether he and Megawati would attend Susilo's
\ninauguration, Hamzah said: "I am ready to go, but it depends on
\nwhether Ibu (Megawati) will be there or not."<\/p>\n
Kalla said he hoped that both Megawati and Hamzah would attend
\nthe inauguration ceremony on Tuesday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/good-bye-the-hardest-word-for-mega-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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