Megawati, a housewife, a leader and President<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Like children listening to their mother, an audience of thousands
\nof people mostly from the grass roots, moved closer to the stage.
\nHolding their attention was Megawati Soekarnoputri, the incumbent
\nPresident and leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI-P).<\/p>\n
Earlier, she had asked her supporters in a firm yet soft voice
\nto draw nearer to the stage. As she began to talk, silence fell
\nover the Bung Karno stadium in the city.<\/p>\n
It was noon yet the scorching sun didn't bother the crowd who
\nmade it clear that in their eyes, Megawati's speech was the most
\ncharismatic of those delivered by party leaders to date. The
\nstadium is named after the nation's greatest orator and first
\npresident Sukarno, who was Megawati's father.<\/p>\n
Having covered events at the palace for three years, not once
\ndid I observe Megawati exude such confidence.<\/p>\n
As the end of the campaign period approaches, the President
\nseems transformed. Gone is her indecisiveness, impulsiveness,
\nunpunctuality and attention to menial details.<\/p>\n
\"They said that I am just a housewife who cannot do anything
\nright. Well, this housewife is still able to draw a crowd like
\nthis,\" Megawati said to thunderous applause.<\/p>\n
In a semi-feudal society like Indonesia, it is difficult to
\nimagine the PDI-P without Megawati at the helm. Unfortunately, as
\nPresident she still has a lot to answer for.<\/p>\n
Her \"mother-like\" leadership, which unites different factions
\nof the party ahead of the elections, has not been apparent in her
\nleadership of the country.<\/p>\n
\"I have noticed that there is a big gap between her
\npersonality as the President and as the leader of the PDI-P. As
\nPresident she seems to hold back,\" political analyst Cornelis Lay
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
As President, he said, Megawati seems to be trapped in a
\npolitical game. \"She acts naively and shows unnecessary tolerance
\nfor her political opponents,\" Cornelis said, citing that Minister
\nof Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra had been
\npermitted to extend his leave of absence by four days to campaign
\nfor the Crescent Star Party (PBB).<\/p>\n
\"The regulation only allows ministers to take two days off,
\nbut Megawati defended her decision by saying that Yusril, like
\nherself, is a party leader,\" said Cornelis who is a member of
\nPDI-P's think tank.<\/p>\n
He said that this condition had also prevented her from taking
\nradical steps, which she had promised the people would follow
\nPDI-P's victory in the 1999 election.<\/p>\n
\"If she is reelected, she should transfer her leadership style
\nin leading the PDI-P to leading the country,\" Cornelis said.<\/p>\n
However, by not fulfilling the PDI-P's promises, after the
\n1999 election she stalled legal reform and tarnished her public
\nimage.<\/p>\n
Some surveys indicate that Megawati's chances of being
\nreelected are slim, as people have grown tired of her leadership
\nstyle.<\/p>\n
A political analyst close to Golkar, said that most people did
\nnot trust Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"People do not have extreme hatred of Megawati, but everybody
\nknows that she cannot do it, so why try again,\" said the analyst
\nwho refused to be named.<\/p>\n
The answer to such speculations, and the true test of
\nMegawati's popularity, lies in the upcoming elections.<\/p>",
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