Mega told me to be quite: Gus Dur

SURABAYA: The chief patron of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, said on Wednesday that President Megawati Soekarnoputri had asked him to stop issuing statements.

According to Gus Dur, who Megawati succeeded as president, Megawati made the request while receiving members of PKB's executive board in Jakarta on Monday.

Gus Dur, who was impeached for incompetence in July 2001, did not say if he would heed Megawati's request.

Earlier he said he would take Megawati's advice not to travel to the United States after that country included Indonesia on a list of countries whose male citizens over the age of 16 must register with immigration.

Gus Dur also said PKB would refuse to cooperate with any party, including Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), in the upcoming elections.

"What I say (in my statements) is the truth. If Megawati does not find them acceptable, we don't need to cooperate with PDI Perjuangan. PKB will triumph without PDI Perjuangan. When the people abandon them, let them taste the bitter experience," he said. --Antara