Megawati to watch combat exercise

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri will spend her weekend in the waters off the Central Java town of Jepara to watch a combat exercise held by the Navy.

Spokesman for the Central Java administration Anwar Cholil said on Friday the President would observe the exercise aboard KRI Tanjung Kembani 971 warship. The exercise will take place around Gundul island.

Megawati and her entourage, including her husband Taufik Kiemas and Indonesian Military Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Bernhard Kent Sondakh, are scheduled to arrive in the "combat zone" before midnight on Saturday.

Anwar said the President will in fact witness the exercise for half an hour on Sunday morning.

The Indonesian Navy will also hold a joint exercise with the Royal Brunei Navy in the waters off Surabaya on Tuesday. -- Antara