Mega talks of her successes
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri presented her accountability report to the People's Consultative Assembly, claiming that she had established a strong political infrastructure for the new government.
At the opening of the final 1999-2004 Assembly session on Thursday, Megawati said that her three-year presidency had strengthened decentralization, implemented the direct election system and built a strong economic basis for the next government.
She fell short, however, in speaking about the results of the her anti-corruption measures. Corruption was one of the key factors that triggered the reform movement in 1998.
"Indonesia in 2004 is much different from what it was in 1998. We have a stronger constitutional foundation compared to what we had six years ago," Megawati said.
She highlighted the peaceful and smooth first direct election in the country that gave birth to a better government.
"With the direct election, we can expect to see a more responsive government that will accommodate people's aspirations and needs," the President said.
Megawati also expressed her gratitude to the people.
On the decentralization program, the President said that it was the equivalent of federalism, but was aimed at ensuring the people's welfare.
It was likely her last speech in front of the Assembly, at least for some time, as Megawati has all but officially lost in a landslide to her former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Wearing a dark-blue kebaya traditional dress, Megawati read a 28-page accountability speech in front of the Assembly at the end of her three-year administration.
The Assembly will end their tenure on Sept. 30. The new Assembly members will be sworn in on Oct. 1.
As of Thursday evening, Susilo had maintained his unassailable lead with 61.04 percent to Megawati's 38.96 percent with nearly 90 percent of the vote counted. She trails by some 22 million votes with less than 20 million still to be tallied.
Megawati, however, did not concede defeat and reiterated that everybody should be patient until the official announcement from the General Election Commission (KPU) on Oct. 5.
Megawati urged the upcoming government to be tougher on terrorism, citing the need to develop more effective measures and procedures to handle it.
"It is difficult to predict or stop terrorist attacks based on the existing laws. We should develop more effective procedures to handle it," she said.
On the issue of separatism in Aceh and Papua, Megawati said that her administration had slowly managed to quell the conflicts.
She emphasized that the security situation in Aceh under the state of civil emergency was getting better and people could begin to improve their lives.
On Papua, the she said the issue surrounding the ruling on the establishment of new provinces would be resolved in time.
"For such a vast province as Papua, division into several provinces is an urgent matter," Megawati said.
The 2003 Annual Session recommended that she implement the division of the province saying that such division should be recommended by the Papua People's Assembly (MRP), which has to be established in one-year time.
The government has yet to submit the ruling on the establishment of the MRP to the House of Representatives for deliberation, saying that the issue should be further examined.
Several factions at the Assembly have criticized the division plan as it had created clashes among the Papuans.
At the end of her speech, Megawati admitted her shortcomings in the past three years and apologized for much unfinished business.
"For the various shortcomings and unfinished matters, along with the Vice President, I would like to ask for forgiveness from the Assembly and the Indonesian people that I love," she said.