Megawati celebrates birthday with street children

Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri celebrated her 55th birthday on Wednesday with a party for hundreds of street children and orphans at the headquarters of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

During the party Megawati clapped along to music from young street singers, who make a living at traffic lights. She also distributed food (photo above) to a number of the children.

The children conveyed their wishes to Megawati to be committed to the eradication of corruption, collusion and nepotism.

They said if the current situation continues, their lives would not improve.

Party leaders, including Soetjipto, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, Roy BB Janis and Kwik Kian Gie, also attended the celebration.

Born in Yogyakarta on Jan 23, 1947, Megawati is the eldest daughter of Indonesia's founding president Sukarno.

She took office on July 23 last year after the People's Consultative Assembly removed her predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid for incompetence. -- JP