Megawati cancels visit to Palu

Megawati cancels visit to Palu

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri has canceled her plan to open the eighth congress of the Alkhairaat Islamic organization scheduled for Sunday in Palu, Central Sulawesi province.

"Confirmation of the cancellation was received from the presidential palace in Jakarta on Thursday," Central Sulawesi administration spokesman Burhanudin Maragau said on Friday.

He said that no clear reason was given for the cancellation.

Maragau said Megawati would instead send Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla to open the four-day congress to be attended by 1,300 of Alkhairaat's members across the country.

The President, who was to be accompanied by at least five ministers, was scheduled to attend a function celebrating National Family Day in Gorontalo province on Saturday before opening the congress. --Antara