Megawati asks nation to use conscience in polls

Megawati asks nation to use conscience in polls

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Nana Rukmana, Jakarta/Cirebon

President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on the nation to exercise
its right to vote and choose its future leaders based on their
trustworthiness, in order to ensure a strong government.

"You should use your conscience when making a choice, because
people should elect leaders who can drive the country forward,"
Megawati said in her address on Sunday to 5,000 subdistrict
chiefs across West Java at the Bogor presidential palace.

She asserted the country's future would be at stake in the
upcoming presidential election, scheduled for July 5.

"Let anyone elected fulfill his or her five-year tenure, as it
is very difficult to live up to people's expectations if you only
serve half a term," she said.

Megawati was appointed president in 2001 after the People's
Consultative Assembly dismissed Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, whom
it had elected in 1999, for alleged incompetence.

The President is also contesting the country's first direct
presidential election under the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P) banner, having named Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
chairman Hasyim Muzadi her running mate.

Megawati has taken advantage of official visits to meet voters
before the month-long campaign period begins on Tuesday.

Earlier on Saturday, Megawati paid a courtesy call on Cirebon
Sultan Maulana Pakuningrat XIII.

Megawati said she had been planning the visit for some time as
part of government efforts to conserve the nation's cultural
legacy.

In his response, the sultan prayed for Megawati's success in
the election.

"We hope that God will bless Ibu in the coming election and
will reward your visit," the sultan said.

Joining Megawati were Minister of Trade and Industry Rini
Soewandi, West Java Governor Danny Setiawan, PDI-P deputy
secretary-general Pramono Anung and political analyst Rizal
Mallarangeng.

Around a couple of weeks before Megawati's trip, presidential
candidate from the Democratic Party Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
his running mate Jusuf Kalla met with the sultan and sought his
blessing.

Shortly after the visit, Megawati also received support from
leaders of 151 Muslim boarding schools across Cirebon regency.

"We pray for Ibu Mega so that she can continue leading the
country until 2009," said Kurdi Mukhrodi, who represented the
group. Previously, a number of NU clerics across West Java
pledged support for the Mega-Hasyim pairing.