First family to relax in Bali

DENPASAR, Bali: Taking a break from her state duties, President Megawati Soekarnoputri plans to enjoy an extended weekend in Bali with her family.

The first family -- the President, husband Taufik Kiemas and daughter Puan Maharani -- will stay at a villa in Jimbaran instead of the Tampaksiring presidential palace.

"This is just a family event, and the President has no official schedule until next Monday," an official at the Presidential Palace told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Megawati will arrive in Bali on Wednesday to open the fifth foreign ministerial gathering of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Nusa Dua.

After the ASEM forum, Megawati, who took two days off last week with a sore throat, will spend the rest of the week on the island, returning to Jakarta on Sunday. Megawati's grandmother was Balinese. -- JP