Parents call on Soeharto for help

BANDUNG (JP): The proud parents of Indonesia's first quintuplets, born on Monday, have called on President Soeharto to name their babies.

"I would be very grateful if President Soeharto is willing to give names for our babies," said father Hastadi Wahyu, a 32-year old employee of the state-owned Telkom telecommunications company, here yesterday.

Otherwise, he would name the babies with names whose first initials are P, A, N, C and A. Panca is an Indonesian word for "five".

Hastadi admitted that it is a little awkward to call the as yet unnamed babies "baby I", "baby II" and so on. "Sounds so much like robots," Hastadi said. "I don't know. I'm still too confused and too happy."

Twenty-seven-year-old Ellidawati gave birth to the quintuplets by caesarean section at Borromeus Hospital on Monday.

The babies -- two boys and three girls -- were born in the 31st week of gestation at one-minute intervals during the 45- minute operation.

Pediatricians Kelly Munazar Surya Chandra and Sandjaja Soetadji said the babies and their mother were generally in good condition. The fourth baby, however, has developed a respiratory problem, common in premature babies, according to Kelly. (17/26)