Megawati holds open house, gives alms to well-wishers

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Top government officials, including President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz, received well- wishers at their official residences on Tuesday, the first day of Idul Fitri.

Open houses also were held by former presidents Soeharto and Abdurrahman Wahid at their respective residences.

However, the mood was less than festive at Megawati's open house at the State Palace. The first session for ministers and diplomats lasted just 30 minutes, and few officials and legislators showed up.

Abdurrahman's house in Ciganjur, which has just been renovated, was filled with hundreds of guests, including several noted political opponents of Megawati, including the President's younger sister Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto and several Muslim-based politicians.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was among the guests. It was the senior minister's first visit to Abdurrahman since the latter was deposed in 2001.

Several foreign envoys including U.S. Ambassador Ralph Boyce and British Ambassador Richard Gozney visited Abdurrahman's house after going to the State Palace.

Soeharto's house was also filled with guests from early in the morning, with former vice president Try Soetrisno, former ministers Radius Prawiro, Ali Alatas and Emil Salim, and noted businessman Setiawan Djody among those there to honor the former president.

"This is the first time I have seen Bapak in the last five years. He looked fresh and healthy. He received us while standing in the living room," Setiawan said after leaving the home of Soeharto, who avoided a corruption trial after a court ruled the former strongman was not healthy enough to face charges.

In the afternoon, the State Palace was opened to residents who wished to greet the President. About 2,000 people turned up over the course of two hours.

Megawati and husband Taufik Kiemas greeted the visitors with smiles and exchanged a few words with each guest.

For the first time since becoming President in 2001, Megawati gave some of the well-wishers money, handing out between Rp 50,000 and Rp 100,000 to chosen guests.

The President's last visitor was an old woman, Sarmi, who arrived at the State Palace in an old T-shirt and sarong.

"I have been in Jakarta for the past four months and want to go home to Cirebon but I don't have enough money. People told me to come here," Sarmi said after meeting with the President.

The woman was not turned away from the Palace empty-handed, with Taufik giving Sarmi Rp 300,000 so she could go home.

"I want to go back home and never return to Jakarta. I am so happy to have met the President," Sarmi said.

The first family flew to Bali on Wednesday where they will vacation until Sunday.