Megawati, husband off to Bali for New Year's<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri and her husband Taufik Kiemas
\nflew to the resort island of Bali on Saturday to celebrate the
\nNew Year holidays, while her government implements its drive for
\nmore modest lifestyles and introduces austerity measures to cut
\nunnecessary state expenditure.<\/p>\n
Her 44-member entourage, comprising family members and close
\nfriends as well as officials, including Minister for State
\nEnterprises Laksamana Sukardi, left for Denpasar from Jakarta's
\nHalim Perdanakusuma airport at noon aboard a presidential plane.<\/p>\n
Before her departure Megawati presided over an Army ceremony
\nin Senayan, Central Jakarta in the morning and recorded her year-
\nend television address for transmission on Monday night.<\/p>\n
Megawati is scheduled to stay in Bali for five days, spending
\nmost of the time in the Tapak Siring Palace, where she will also
\nhost a special party to mark her husband's birthday and welcome
\nin the New Year on Monday. She will return to Jakarta on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
A source close to the First Family told The Jakarta Post that
\nMegawati had initially wanted to hold the party at one of the
\nfive-star hotels in Bali, but the venue was changed to the palace
\nfor reasons that remain unclear.<\/p>\n
Tapak Siring Palace, built by Megawati's father and the
\ncountry's first president, Sukarno, was often used to house
\nimportant guests during his tenure, which ended in 1965.<\/p>\n
The President's leisure trip to Bali has also raised a public
\ndebate as it comes just a few days after she endorsed a series of
\nsavings initiatives announced by State Minister of Administrative
\nReforms Feisal Tamin last Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The austerity measures encourage the efficient use of state
\nassets and the adoption of a modest life-style by government
\nofficials. They also frown on the hosting of luxury parties, ban
\noffice anniversary celebrations and restrict the use of formal
\nattire to special occasions only.<\/p>\n
The measures are also aimed at inspiring state officials to
\nwork much harder to combat widespread corruption, collusion and
\nnepotism (KKN).<\/p>\n
Megawati could perhaps argue that the new austerity measures
\ndo not apply in this case, as her trip to Bali is personal in
\nnature. But the people might question the logic of this argument
\nsince the visit involves the use of state assets.<\/p>\n
A modest lifestyle is not her way, even though she was the
\nnation's most clearly populist leader during former dictator
\nSoeharto's rule. Long before she took power in July, Megawati
\nfrequently embarked on overseas shopping trips.<\/p>\n
A more recent example was her two-day stopover in Hong Kong
\nfor shopping before the daughter of the founding president and
\nher husband continued on to Shangai, China to take part in this
\nyear's APEC meeting.<\/p>\n
Last year, Megawati spent New Year's eve and celebrated
\nTaufik's birthday in Hong Kong when she was still serving as vice
\npresident. The visit sparked a public outcry given that it took
\nplace amid the country's prolonged economic crisis.<\/p>\n
It is common practice in Indonesia for senior leaders to fail
\nto set a good example for their subordinates, and their actions
\noften contradict their noble statements.<\/p>\n
Megawati has also been under fire for appointing her husband,
\nwho is still serving as a legislator, to lead a special
\ngovernment delegation to China from Dec. 18 to 20.<\/p>\n
Critics say the selection of Taufik represented a classic
\nconflict of interest, given his role as Megawati's husband, a
\nlegislator and businessman, and have demanded that the President
\nclarify her decision.<\/p>",
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