Megawati's 1st day at the palace

JAKARTA (JP): The country's fifth president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, received an official visit from the United States Ambassador Robert S. Gelbard at the State Palace on Monday (photo above), marking her first working day in the palace.

Gelbard was among the first guests Megawati received on her first day at the palace after she was appointed president by the People's Consultative Assembly on July 23 following the dismissal of Abdurrahman Wahid.

On his visit, Gelbard reiterated the U.S. government's support for the newly appointed president and democratization of the country.

Megawati had a busy first day at the palace, the place where she grew up as the daughter of founding president Sukarno, receiving at least six guests.

Among her other guests on Monday were caretaker State Secretary Mahtouf Basyuni, State Logistics Agency chief Widjanarko Puspoyo and Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency chairman I Gede Putu Ary Suta.

She also held meetings with executives of the Indonesian Bridge Association, led by former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto, and Justice and Unity Party chairman Eddy Sudrajat.

Arriving at the palace at about 10 a.m., Megawati, wearing a light yellow suit, looked content and smiled at the journalists, who were trying to take pictures of her entering the palace door.

Megawati is using one of the rooms at the State Palace as her temporary office as the Bina Graha presidential office is too close to the heavy traffic outside.

Former presidents Soeharto, B.J. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid worked in the Bina Graha.

Megawati will use the museum building inside the palace complex as her office. The building is currently being renovated.

Megawati ended her first working day at the palace at 1:30 p.m. when she left for her official residence on Jl. Teuku Umar, Central Jakarta. (dja)