Megawati ill, to extend rest until Friday
Megawati ill, to extend rest until Friday
JAKARTA (JP): "Megawati ill, unable to chair cabinet meeting,"
the news wires flashed on Thursday afternoon.
Palace officials quickly moved to calm the jitters saying the
Vice President was merely down with the flu and needed rest after
her tiring two-day trip to Bali.
But, while she may indeed need to physically recuperate, there
were also inferences that her absence at such a critical juncture
-- the eve of a presidential televised address, a mass gathering
of Abdurrahman Wahid's supporters on Sunday and the impending
censure of the President -- may not have been caused by the flu
bug but rather a political one.
Her illness "conveniently" excuses her from having to
accompany President Abdurrahman when he addresses the nation amid
concerns of unrest due to the gathering of his supporters.
Vice presidential secretary Bambang Kesowo disclosed that
Megawati might take an extended rest until Friday.
According to Bambang, the Vice President's team of doctors
concluded she was exhausted from her trip to Bali.
"All her engagements were canceled. I'm not sure she'll be
able to work tomorrow," said Bambang, who was summoned by
Megawati to her residence after the seven-hour Cabinet meeting.
Such a coincidence has led some to suggest that the Vice
President was deliberately distancing herself from the embattled
President.
Megawati is not known to be of frail health. Thursday was one
of the first times she has had to cancel her state duties on
health grounds since becoming Vice President in 1999.
She regularly undergoes a health checkup at Mt. Elizabeth
Hospital in Singapore.
There were no signs of frailty affecting the Vice President on
Tuesday or Wednesday during her stay in Bali.
She looked at home and cheerful on the holiday island which
remains one of her strongest political bases.
On Tuesday, she was seen sampling durian after a visit to
Bedugul and then, before returning to Jakarta on Wednesday
afternoon, she had lunch at the Dirty Duck Restaurant in Ubud.
She also took time out to buy several live ducks there which
were flown back with her to Jakarta on her Air Force plane.
Megawati's personal physicians did not accompany her to Bali,
but two beauticians were included in her entourage.
Megawati's stay in Bali until late on Wednesday afternoon also
excused her from partaking in the weekly breakfast she has with
Abdurrahman.
Her Wednesday schedule was, in fact, extremely light. Apart
from a 20-minute official function in the morning, Megawati spent
the rest of the day in Bali in relaxed manner by visiting a
cultural site and having lunch.
Bizarrely, Abdurrahman in Jakarta, despite her absence, still
persisted in having breakfast at her residence Wednesday morning.
Thursday's Cabinet meeting, which was attended by Abdurrahman,
was chaired by Coordinating Minister for Social, Political and
Security Affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on
Megawati's behalf.
Minister of Agriculture and Plantations Bungaran Saragih later
indicated that Megawati's health was discussed and that the
President was concerned and wanted to visit her.
Sources close to Megawati emphasized that she did not have a
serious health problem and that it was a good way of politely
distancing herself from the President.
Another source said Megawati did not want to be implicated in
any possible confrontation between the President and the House of
Representatives.
"She also wanted to send a strong signal to the President that
she is tired with the President's problems and the negative
comments often made by the President about her," said the source.
But, on the other hand, the source said Megawati did not want
to publicly embarrass him, particularly by having to openly
refuse to stand by his side during his televised address on
Friday evening. (prb)
JAKARTA (JP): "Megawati ill, unable to chair cabinet meeting,"
the news wires flashed on Thursday afternoon.
Palace officials quickly moved to calm the jitters saying the
Vice President was merely down with the flu and needed rest after
her tiring two-day trip to Bali.
But, while she may indeed need to physically recuperate, there
were also inferences that her absence at such a critical juncture
-- the eve of a presidential televised address, a mass gathering
of Abdurrahman Wahid's supporters on Sunday and the impending
censure of the President -- may not have been caused by the flu
bug but rather a political one.
Her illness "conveniently" excuses her from having to
accompany President Abdurrahman when he addresses the nation amid
concerns of unrest due to the gathering of his supporters.
Vice presidential secretary Bambang Kesowo disclosed that
Megawati might take an extended rest until Friday.
According to Bambang, the Vice President's team of doctors
concluded she was exhausted from her trip to Bali.
"All her engagements were canceled. I'm not sure she'll be
able to work tomorrow," said Bambang, who was summoned by
Megawati to her residence after the seven-hour Cabinet meeting.
Such a coincidence has led some to suggest that the Vice
President was deliberately distancing herself from the embattled
President.
Megawati is not known to be of frail health. Thursday was one
of the first times she has had to cancel her state duties on
health grounds since becoming Vice President in 1999.
She regularly undergoes a health checkup at Mt. Elizabeth
Hospital in Singapore.
There were no signs of frailty affecting the Vice President on
Tuesday or Wednesday during her stay in Bali.
She looked at home and cheerful on the holiday island which
remains one of her strongest political bases.
On Tuesday, she was seen sampling durian after a visit to
Bedugul and then, before returning to Jakarta on Wednesday
afternoon, she had lunch at the Dirty Duck Restaurant in Ubud.
She also took time out to buy several live ducks there which
were flown back with her to Jakarta on her Air Force plane.
Megawati's personal physicians did not accompany her to Bali,
but two beauticians were included in her entourage.
Megawati's stay in Bali until late on Wednesday afternoon also
excused her from partaking in the weekly breakfast she has with
Abdurrahman.
Her Wednesday schedule was, in fact, extremely light. Apart
from a 20-minute official function in the morning, Megawati spent
the rest of the day in Bali in relaxed manner by visiting a
cultural site and having lunch.
Bizarrely, Abdurrahman in Jakarta, despite her absence, still
persisted in having breakfast at her residence Wednesday morning.
Thursday's Cabinet meeting, which was attended by Abdurrahman,
was chaired by Coordinating Minister for Social, Political and
Security Affairs Lt. Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on
Megawati's behalf.
Minister of Agriculture and Plantations Bungaran Saragih later
indicated that Megawati's health was discussed and that the
President was concerned and wanted to visit her.
Sources close to Megawati emphasized that she did not have a
serious health problem and that it was a good way of politely
distancing herself from the President.
Another source said Megawati did not want to be implicated in
any possible confrontation between the President and the House of
Representatives.
"She also wanted to send a strong signal to the President that
she is tired with the President's problems and the negative
comments often made by the President about her," said the source.
But, on the other hand, the source said Megawati did not want
to publicly embarrass him, particularly by having to openly
refuse to stand by his side during his televised address on
Friday evening. (prb)