Megawati' popularity falls as her party weakens

Megawati' popularity falls as her party weakens

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri held a small feast on Tuesday
to celebrate her first year in power but may have to gear up for
a tougher year ahead amid signs of dropping popularity.

Taking the whole day off after attending a celebration of
National Children's Day at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Megawati
told children how she barely noticed that one year had passed
since she was sworn in as President.

"Today, I had a very beautiful gift. I was sworn in a
President last year. I almost forgot about it," she told hundreds
of cheering children.

When some of the more curious children asked her whether it
was nice to be President, she said smilingly "I enjoy many
things, but there are always other things I am unable to
achieve."

These other things, however, are costing Megawati her
popularity.

Critics bemoan her weak leadership in curbing corruption,
bringing peace to Aceh and most of all reaching out to the common
people who in 1999 made up the bulk of her supporters.

The daily Kompas in its Tuesday edition said almost 72 percent
of 1,773 respondents polled said they were disappointed with the
present government.

A poll by Detik.com Internet news portal showed that 70
percent of its 1,000 respondents considered Megawati a failure.

On the streets, the area in front of Merdeka Palace was host
to a slew of protests deploring Megawati's one-year rule.

One year of Megawati's government equals 10 years of the
Soeharto government, read a long banner displayed outside the
palace by a group called 2002 Revolutionary Front.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
chairperson, Megawati, marked her first anniversary in power with
a small feast at her home.

Flower arrangements adorned the entrance, including one from
the chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BNI),
Hendropriyono.

According to a staff member at the residence, party members
had ordered two traditional nasi tumpeng, for Megawati to cut and
distribute among the dozens of members present.

"We just had a small feast, nothing special," said Jacob
Tobing a party member who chairs a committee discussing
constitutional reform at the Peoples' Consultative Assembly
(MPR).

U.S. President George W. Bush, called to congratulate the
President and expressed his appreciation for her efforts to curb
terrorism, Associated Press reported.

Elsewhere, the momentum was seized by critics of PDI
Perjuangan to launch what they hope would be its future
contender: the Bung Karno Nationalist Party (PNBK).

Bung Karno, as Megawati's father was called, Indonesia's first
president Soekarno, still continues to wield immense influence
among the people three decades after his death.

Eros Djarot, singer, composer and most of all PDI Perjuangan
dissident, announced the new party and said it would be
officially declared on Wednesday. Eros is expected to lead the
new party.

It was unclear whether PNBK could retain its name as parties
are not allowed to use the names and pictures of people.

Eros said an option was to name it the Independent Nationalist
Bull Party without changing its acronym PNBK.

Earlier this month several nationalist-humanist' figures from
14 provinces met to share their dissatisfaction over Megawati, he
said.

"We think they (the government) have failed to build on the
reform spirit and have departed from the ideas of our founding
fathers."

The result of that meeting was a plan for a new party. In the
three weeks that followed it had formed 24 provincial chapters,
he said.

Eros and his new party is no exemption. Dimyati Hartono, a
former member of the House of Representatives Commission II on
legal and home affairs, resigned from both the House and PDI
Perjuangan in February.

He later established a party he called the Indonesian
Motherland Party (PITA).

Dimyati said he was fed up with the worsening rifts and
internal rivalry among party leaders.

Equally frustrated, long-time Megawati supporter Sophan
Sophiaan, then chairman of PDI Perjuangan faction at the MPR,
quit his seat in the MPR and also the House.

The latest resignation came from House member Indira earlier
this month. She quit in protest over Megawati's move to block an
investigation into House Speaker Akbar Tandjung over graft
allegations.

Analysts say the moves from some of PDI Perjuangan top members
have been detrimental to both the party's image and its unity.

But while high level rifts are normal, they say, the biggest
blow has come with members of the party openly opposing
Megawati's policies.

This followed her controversial decision to back Governor
Sutiyoso for a second five-year term.

In 1997 he was the Jakarta Military Commander, and many hold
him responsible for the bloody attack against PDI headquarters
that resulted in the disappearance of many party members and
other civilians.

Megawati has not given any explanation for her support of
Sutiyoso while suspicions abound of a political deal with
Sutiyoso.

"As a friend, I don't even recognize Megawati anymore," Eros
said.