Mega goes to Singapore for checkup

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri took a one-day trip to Singapore on Friday to have a general health checkup, which included an eye examination, at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

The Vice President left at 7 a.m. from Halim Perdanakusuma airport. There was no detailed schedule provided by the vice presidential office for the trip.

Megawati was accompanied by her secretary, Bambang Kesowo, and former coordinating minister for economy, finance and industry Kwik Kian Gie.

An official from the vice presidential office said that Megawati will fly on Saturday to Denpasar to attend the 28th anniversary of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which she chairs.

Antara reported that Megawati will travel overland from Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar to Jembrana, a distance of some 100 kilometers.

Information officer of the local resort military command Capt. Nyoman Suandhi said the Vice President's entourage will be heavily guarded during the overland trip.

It was also reported that there will be some 2,000 police and military officers posted along the road, as thousands of people are expected to throng the anniversary event.

The Vice President will continue her trip on Sunday to Malang, East Java, where she will also attend an anniversary of her party, and later to visit her father's, former president Sukarno, grave in Blitar, East Java.

Among the many party executive board members who are scheduled to attend the two events are party deputy chairman Kwik Kian Gie, Roy B.Janis, Theo Syafei, deputy secretary-general Agnita Singadikane and treasurer Noviantika Nasution. (dja)