Mega chairs last Cabinet meet

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Adianto Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Tears, laughter, anecdotes and a photo session marked an end to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's 39-month tenure on Monday, which saw her preside over her last Cabinet meeting.

All ministers dressed up for the occasion, with the men in the traditional cap peci and women in the national kebaya costume.

Everyone looked relaxed as they walked into the President's new office.

"We were required to wear this peci, maybe to make it suitable for us to receive donations," interim coordinating minister for people's welfare Abdul Malik Fadjar joked with journalists, turning his peci upside-down as if he was collecting money.

Several ministers also kidded Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro, who had been summoned to president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's residence in Cikeas, Bogor.

"What, new colleagues? Everybody here is my colleague," Hassan said, amid jokes from other ministers and journalists over his possible continuation as foreign minister under Susilo.

The only one who seemed not to be in a good mood was Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto. The usually talkative four-star general lost his appetite for jokes and walked quietly, with only a trace of a smile.

Endriartono had tendered his resignation on Sept. 24 and Megawati granted his request on Oct. 7. The House of Representatives is currently processing his resignation.

The Cabinet meeting began with a photo session, with all posing together on the stairs leading up to Merdeka Palace, as they did three years ago when they were sworn in.

Megawati smiled broadly and Vice President Hamzah Haz shared a light moment with her, while the ministers arranged themselves for the last picture.

After two shots, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea arrived to the cheers of the rest of the Cabinet.

Missing from the meeting was research and technology minister Hatta Radjasa, who had resigned after he was inducted on Oct. 1 as a House of Representatives legislator.

"Thank you for everything, and let us meet again," the President told journalists, who took the opportunity for a commemorative photo with Megawati.

She held back tears as journalists bade farewell to her one by one.

Each minister then received a photo album from the President and during the brief Cabinet meeting, Megawati once again asked them to prepare detailed reports for the incoming government.

On her last day in office, Megawati also signed 16 bills and presidential decrees, including the controversial TNI bill, the migrant workers protection bill and the Idul Fitri transportation decree.

"The President is also slated to sign a decree on the appointment of a new Supreme Audit Agency chief as soon as possible," State Secretary Bambang Kesowo said.

At the end of the meeting, Megawati broke the fast with her ministers at the palace.

Megawati maintains she will not attend Susilo's inauguration on Wednesday, despite requests from People's Consultative Assembly leaders.

State Minister of National Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie said Megawati had no bones to pick with Susilo, her former chief security minister, but it was more because she could not contain her emotions.

"Her departing speech during the last Cabinet meeting was so moving that none of us could even look at her," Kwik told the Post after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Kwon Chin-ho, senior advisor to the South Korean President and Yasuo Fukuda, a member of Japan's House of Representatives, have confirmed their attendance at the inauguration as special envoys of their countries.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri of East Timor, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Achmad Badawi and Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam have also confirmed their attendance. Alkatiri and Howard are slated to arrive on Tuesday.

This will mark the first time foreign leaders are attending the inauguration ceremony of an Indonesian president.