Megawati visits her father Sukarno's grave

JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri visited the grave of her father, the country's first president, in Blitar, East Java, on Wednesday morning.

This was her first trip out of Jakarta since replacing Abdurrahman Wahid as president on Monday.

Megawati last visited her father's grave on June 20 as part of a national celebration of the centennial of Sukarno's birth. During that visit Abdurrahman was also present to give an address.

The President was accompanied on Wednesday by her daughter Puan Maharani and Vice Presidential Secretary Bambang Kesowo, as well as some friends.

Megawati prayed alone at the grave for about 10 minutes.

Sukarno died in political disgrace in 1970, three years after Soeharto ousted from his presidential seat.

According to Antara, hundreds of well-wishers greeted Megawati, who arrived in a presidential limousine.

There were no demonstrations during her visit to the province, a political stronghold of Abdurrahman.

Despite Sukarno's expressed desire to be buried at Batu Tulis Palace, his private residence in Bogor, Soeharto ordered that Sukarno be buried near the graves of his parents in Blitar.

Sukarno's children have expressed their wish to reinter his remains in Bogor. Residents of Blitar have resisted the plan because Sukarno's grave site has became a popular tourist attraction.

His family is also seeking the rehabilitation of his name. According to the official history, which was written during Soeharto's 32-year reign, Sukarno was responsible for the abortive communist coup in 1965.

Sukarno's admirers continue to visit his grave to show their respect and to ask for blessings from the founding father.

The President returned to Jakarta in the evening to attend the scheduled swearing-in of a new vice president. (prb)