First day in office for President Megawati

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)