Palace gears up for new president

Palace gears up for new president

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Presidential palace officials began preparing on Tuesday for a
new boss, a day after Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was officially
declared the winner of the Sept. 20 election.

Susilo is scheduled to be sworn in on Oct. 20, 2004 as the new
president, replacing Megawati Soekarnoputri. He reportedly plans
to reside at the palace.

Although there was no noticeable increase of activity in the
palace, a series of meetings has been held to prepare for
Susilo's first day in his new home.

The State Secretary's office is preparing a brief report on
the decrees and regulations issued during Megawati's three-year
tenure.

"There have been no discussions yet with the president-elect's
team, but we must prepare a report for the next government," an
official told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He said the office had compiled a to-do list of decrees needed
to implement laws deliberated during past three years since
Megawati took power in July 2001.

A member of Susilo's campaign team, Suratto Siswodiharjo, said
as far as he knew Susilo had not sent aides to the presidential
palace to help handle the transition.

"Such a team has not been set up because our camp has yet to
find a good time to have talks with Megawati's team," Suratto
said.

Since her landslide defeat, Megawati has rarely come to the
palace and has instead spent much time at her private residence
in Kebagusan, South Jakarta.

The State Secretary's office was also busy preparing living
quarters and other facilities for Susilo.

The arrangements included protocol and designated entry points
for journalists, visitors and important guests.

Officials were also considering tightening security around the
palace compound.

"Because there are several alternatives, we will consult
further with Susilo's team," the protocol official said.

The official residence of the president is the Merdeka Palace,
but only founding president Sukarno and former president
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid stayed at the compound. The three
other ex-presidents, Soeharto, Habibie and Megawati, resided
outside.

Soeharto stayed at a house on Jl. Cendana in the plush Menteng
area in Central Jakarta, B.J. Habibie at Patra Kuningan in South
Jakarta, while Megawati has been living on Jl. Teuku Umar also in
Central Jakarta.

Presidential guards have been assigned to secure Susilo's
private residence at Puri Cikeas in Bogor, West Java, since the
end of last month when it became apparent he would win the
election.

While waiting for a possible challenge to the election result
by Megawati's camp, Susilo is making a two-day trip to his
hometown of Pacitan in Central Java and also plans to visit his
mother in Blitar, East Java. He is to return to Jakarta on
Thursday night.