Megawati's 1st day at the palace

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)