Megawati's slip may signal rift with Gus Dur

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid played down the conspicuous absence of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri during the announcement of the new Cabinet at the Merdeka Palace on Wednesday which raised speculations of a rift between the two.

"She was in hurry to have a bath," the President said when a journalist asked why she was not present at such an important announcement.

"She said 'I haven't taken a shower. I'd like to have a bath first.' You can't stop a woman," he said.

Sources close to the Vice President insisted Megawati left the Palace just before the announcement because she was disappointed with the Cabinet's composition and Gus Dur's unilateral decisions.

"Ibu Megawati was upset because the President betrayed her trust again. The lineup of the Cabinet was different from the list she had agreed earlier in the afternoon," one source, who asked not to be named, told The Jakarta Post.

Megawati arrived at the President's official residence at 15:30, 30 minutes before the announcement.

The two leaders had lunched together at her official residence on Jl. Diponegoro after a farewell meeting with members of the outgoing Cabinet. During the luncheon meeting, Megawati insisted that Kwik Kian Gie retain his post as coordinating minister for the economy. Abdurrahman promised to consider it again.

Another source disclosed the President decided to announce the Cabinet at 4:00 p.m. shortly after his meeting with Megawati.

Abdurrahman and Megawati have had a series of meetings since Sunday discussing the lineup of the Cabinet. They were expected to conclude their deliberations and announce the Cabinet lineup on Wednesday or Thursday.

Even staff at the presidential office were taken by surprise at the decision to announce it earlier than planned. Instead of being written in a presidential decree, the Cabinet list was simply written on presidential stationary as an announcement.

"Ibu Megawati thought she was summoned by Gus Dur for more deliberations. She was very surprised when she was told about the latest changes and the new names on the list," said the source, who knows Megawati well.

It remained unclear on Wednesday whether Megawati would still accept the President's plan entrusting her with the day-to-day running of the administration.

Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak disclosed that the President had signed Decree No. 121 on Wednesday empowering the Vice President. Marsilam is scheduled to hand over the decree to Megawati on Thursday.

"Gus Dur can sign 50 decrees on my new duties, but I have known him for long time, it won't work. He is not ready to share his duties with me," a Megawati advisor quoted her as saying about the President's plan.

Despite her disappointment, the Vice President would not make public her feelings, preferring to let the people decide about the President's future, the source said.

"She will not criticize him in public. But I really don't know whether she will agree to install the new Cabinet on his behalf," said the source. (prb)