Can Mega be an exception?

Can Mega be an exception?

In a bid to reduce its campaign budget, the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is proposing that its
chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri be allowed to campaign while
conducting state duties.

Insisting that the President should not take leave during the
20-day campaign period as it will adversely affect decision
making in state affairs, the party said Megawati could insert her
campaign program into her working visits.

"There will be problems if the President takes leave,
therefore she could take one or two hours out of her working
visit for campaigning," PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono
Anung said after the party's weekly meeting on Tuesday.

He said the party would cover Megawati's expenses during the
two hours, but was uncertain whether the party would pay for the
President's travel expenses.

The government has said the state will only provide security
from presidential details for Megawati and Vice President Hamzah
Haz during their campaigns.

Pramono said the party was not trying to abuse the state
facilities for the party's interests, saying it would offer to
share the burden with the government. -- JP