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)