Megawati pays homage to late father

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri went to Blitar, East Java, on Thursday to visit the grave of her father, founding president Sukarno.

Sukarno was born on June 6, and the visit to his grave is an annual tradition for his relatives, who also hold a yearly memorial service for him on June 21, the date when he died.

Blitar was the birthplace of Sukarno, and the locals maintain a strong emotional attachment to the charismatic leader.

The residents of Blitar, however, were disappointed on Thursday because they were not allowed to get close enough to greet President Megawati.

Before arriving in Blitar, Megawati opened a ministerial-level meeting on sustainable development in Bali on Wednesday. During her speech, she called on her international audience to build the world anew, echoing her father's famous speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations on Sept. 30, 1960.

The spirit and principles of that speech are still relevant to the world's current situation and challenges, said Megawati.

Countries around the world should collaborate in a solid commitment to ensure the continuation of the world's environment, Megawati said.

Megawati is scheduled on Friday to install the new commander of the Indonesian Military, Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, replacing Adm. Widodo A.S., before leaving on a two-week trip to Europe on Saturday.

She will be visiting Rome to attend the Food and Agriculture Organization Summit, London, where she is slated to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.