Gus Dur to undergo checkup on Saturday

Gus Dur to undergo checkup on Saturday

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid, who has previously
suffered two strokes, is scheduled to undergo a medical
examination on Saturday, a palace official revealed on Friday.

Wahyu Muryadi, head of the presidential protocol bureau, said
the routine six-monthly medical check-up would take place at the
Army's Gatot Subroto Hospital in Central Jakarta at around 8
a.m..

The procedure was last conducted on the 60-year-old President
in October, at which time Abdurrahman was given a clean bill of
health by the medical team.

Wahyu's statement followed Abdurrahman's absence from Friday
prayers at the palace's Baiturrahim Mosque earlier in the day.
His absence quickly sparked speculation that he was ill.

Head of the presidential medical team, Umar Wahid, quickly
denied the rumors of illness, saying that the President was
preparing for the medical check-up.

Umar, who is also Abdurrahman's younger brother, said the
President needed to rest and that a set of tests were conducted
on Abdurrahman 24-hours prior to Saturday's examination.

"I met him this morning at 6 a.m. and he was in a good
condition," Umar said at Merdeka Palace.

Another member of the presidential team, Brig. Gen. Tony
Soufyan, said that an array of tests were conducted on the
President on Friday to monitor his blood pressure and pulse.

Fully aware that his absence from Friday prayers had triggered
speculation, Abdurrahman held an unscheduled press briefing on
Friday afternoon to deny that he was ill.

"A set of devices has been attached to my body to monitor my
pulse and blood pressure, so I can't move around. I thought it
would be too disturbing if I attended Friday prayers,"
Abdurrahman said.

He said that rumors of his health had prompted Coordinating
Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono and National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro
to personally contact him on Friday afternoon.

"I am fine. I had my regular morning walk, I had breakfast
this morning with (talk show host) Jaya Suprana and then I was
interviewed by an Australian magazine," the President said.

Abdurrahman then said that his absence from Friday prayers had
been blown out of proportion and exploited to undermine his
leadership.

When asked to specify those who were behind these campaigns,
Abdurrahman said: "I would not say this ... but the most
important thing is that I am healthy and the people who did this
should be ashamed of themselves."

Earlier in the day Umar refused to comment on claims that
Abdurrahman's erratic policy-making style was due to his
deteriorating health.

The Indonesian Doctors Association, in a statement released on
Thursday, denied that they had established a team to examine the
results of a report by four doctors submitted to the House,
conducted a clinical observation of Abdurrahman, and concluded
that he was physically and psychologically unfit to lead the
country.

The Association insisted that any assumption based merely on
observation was "an imperfect medical procedure". (byg/prb)