Megawati Receives Top Honour in Timor Leste, Stresses Friendship Between Nations

Indonesia’s fifth President and Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Megawati Soekarnoputri, received the highest honour from the Government of Timor Leste, the Grande Colar da Ordem de Timor Leste, in a ceremony held at the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace in Dili on Thursday, 9 July 2026. During the visit, Megawati was accompanied by her family and several PDIP central board officials, including Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto, Ahmad Basarah, Andreas H. Pareira, Andi Widjajanto, Bintang Puspayoga, Puti Guntur Soekarno, and Hendra Hartomo. A bilateral meeting was held prior to the award ceremony. After receiving the honour, Megawati wrote a message in the palace guest book. In her message, she stated that she came as the fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia, Chairwoman of PDIP, and a representative of the family of Indonesia’s first President, Soekarno. She also expressed her hope that the friendship and political relationship between Indonesia and Timor Leste would continue to flourish. After Megawati finished writing, President José Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão read the message together, a moment greeted with applause from the attending delegates.