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