Megawati rejects caretaker idea

Megawati rejects caretaker idea

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri brushed aside
demands for a caretaker leadership to run the daily operations of
the party, saying it would only create a dual leadership.

"There is no such thing as a caretaker leader, according to
the party's statutes, so the issue is no longer up for
discussion," the party's deputy secretary general Pramono Anung
Wibowo said after the weekly meeting led by Megawati.

Megawati, also the President, had been under pressure from
many sides to name a caretaker so that she could focus on running
the country, rather than splitting her time while running the
country's largest party, especially with a major national
election campaign coming up.

"We really thought that the suggestion would good for the
party's sake, but now it is no longer a subject that can be
considered, because everybody needs to be in conformity ahead of
the 2004 elections," he remarked.--JP