Megawati vows significant improvements for next year

Megawati vows significant improvements for next year

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri asked on
Monday the public to be patient, saying it would take time to
solve the complex problems inherited from the past regime.

The Vice President, however, expressed her confidence that the
Cabinet would be able rebuild the country's economy and that the
people would see significant improvements in their life in the
next year.

"This is not a statement of self-defense. I just want to
explain that the current government is facing a huge predicament
left over by the former government," Megawati said in a meeting
with members of the Economic Association of Indonesia and India
(EAII) at the Merdeka Selatan Palace, in Central Jakarta.

Accompanied by Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Muthu
Venkatraman, the association presented 10 ambulances and a cheque
for Rp 100 million (US$ 11,400) to the government to be used for
humanitarian operations in the country's troubled provinces of
Maluku and North Maluku.

Citing complaints she had received from various sources,
Megawati said many people doubted whether the Cabinet was on the
right track in managing the country's economy.

She acknowledged that the government had not achieved
significant economic improvements, but argued that the Cabinet
was continuously assessing the situation and making adjustments
to the economy.

"We will do our best, but Insya Allah (God willing), next year
everything will be seen clearer," the Vice President said.

Instead of responding to criticisms that she had been
reluctant to visit the earthquake-struck province of Bengkulu,
she seemed to deflect complaints onto President Abdurrahman Wahid
and his frequent overseas trips.

Megawati, who plans to visit Bengkulu on Thursday, said she
had visited many troubled regencies, while the President had
visited many foreign countries.

"I once made a joke to the President, saying that if the
President could visit 12 countries simultaneously, the Vice
President's duty is just to visit the regencies," she said.

Since their elections to their respective positions in
October, the President has visited at least 30 countries. He is
currently on a 14-day trip to eight countries.

Megawati has visited three countries. Her visit to Hong Kong
at the end of the year sparked controversy from her critics, who
said it was more for leisure than for the country's interests.

She performed a Haj pilgrimage to Mecca in March and has been
to Singapore at least once.

She is scheduled to make a three day-visit to Singapore on
June 25. It is not clear whether it is for private reasons or as
part of an official tour.

"It's as if the Vice President's side job is to visit regions
hit by natural disasters," Megawati joked.

Megawati also told the Indian community that contrary to their
initial requests, she might send the ambulances to needy
provinces places other than Maluku and North Maluku, like
Bengkulu and North Sulawesi. (prb)