President Gus Dur visits Megawati

President Gus Dur visits Megawati

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid visited Vice
President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her official residence on
Thursday evening amid speculation of strained relations between
the two after the announcement of the new Cabinet lineup on
Wednesday.

Accompanied by his second daughter Zannuba Arifah "Yenny"
Chafsoh Rahman, and Syaifullah Yusuf, a relative and senior
member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), which Megawati chairs, the President arrived at the
vice presidential residence on Jl. Diponegoro at 7:05 p.m.

Yoygakarta sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the newly appointed
coordinating minister for political, social and security affairs,
Lt. Gen. (ret.) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and the National
Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori Abdul Djalil were also
present during the meeting.

Just before Abdurrahman's arrival, an official car of the Vice
President left the house. Guards at the gate explained to
reporters that Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas had gone to visit
a relative.

The meeting itself lasted more than two hours. There was no
explanation about the content of the meeting, as the guards at
the official residence politely asked journalists not to enter
the grounds while the talks were underway.

"Gus Dur likes Ibu Mega's cooking, he often comes here just
for the food," an aide close to Abdurrahman said about the
purpose of the President's visit.

However, some government officials indicated the President
wished to hand over presidential decree No. 121, issued on
Wednesday, on the empowerment of the Vice President and to talk
to Megawati about the induction of the new Cabinet on Saturday.

"The Vice President inaugurated the previous Cabinet in
October. So she is expected to swear in this new team on behalf
of the President," said some officials who requested anonymity.

This was Hamengkubuwono's second meeting with Megawati, having
met with her at the Merdeka Selatan Palace in the afternoon. The
Yogyakarta governor hosted a meeting on Aug. 1 between Megawati,
Abdurrahman, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien
Rais and House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung at
his palace in Yogyakarta.

The five-tiered meeting before the MPR Annual Session was
regarded as a political breakthrough, paving the way for the
unsensational Annual Session.

The Vice President in a clear attempt to play down reports
about her rift with the President made a rare press statement on
Thursday evening.

Megawati dismissed rumors that she planned to resign as the
country's second leader due to her frustration with the
President.

She told journalists not to blow up a situation that could
lead the nation into trouble. She refrained from commenting on
the President's choices for the new Cabinet.

"I still have my office here, and all of us know that the
Cabinet has been announced by the President, and the induction
ceremony will take place on Saturday," the Vice President told
journalists at her office.

Megawati did not attend the announcement of the new Cabinet
composition as she left Merdeka Palace shortly before the
announcement.

"One important thing I really want is for the situation and
condition to remain stable, no matter what. I also hope the press
will help," she said.

Outside of her official schedule, the Vice President also
received Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, newly promoted Minister of
Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and State Minister
of Administrative Reforms Ryaas Rasyid.

Speaking to reporters in the evening, Amien said that Megawati
had told him how she had learned about the composition of the
Cabinet.

"Mbak Mega knew about the Cabinet composition just one hour
before the announcement," Amien said.

After her meeting with Amien and the two ministers, new
Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Erna Witular
paid a courtesy call.

Ryaas and Erna, along with Susilo, played a key role in
drafting the structure of the Cabinet, while Yusril was assigned
to draft Presidential Decree No. 121 on the new duties of the
Vice President.

Megawati also met with PDI Perjuangan Secretary General
Sutjipto.

Meanwhile, PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil denied a possible
rift between Abdurrahman and Megawati.

"It's not true. I have telephoned Mbak Mega," Matori, who is
also deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, told
reporters on Thursday.

He quoted Megawati as saying that her absence was to avoid
hard criticism from the press after the announcement.

"She was given a chance in order not to receive 'punches'. Let
Gus Dur take the beating by the press," he said, referring to the
President by his nickname.

Matori called on the public to give the Cabinet a chance to
work. "Just give them an opportunity to prove that they are
better. Let's start thinking of the nation's interests," he said.

Matori said Gus Dur had fulfilled the Assembly's decree on the
delegation of responsibility to Megawati, as stated in the
Assembly's Annual Session.

The deputy speaker claimed that the composition of the Cabinet
was balanced and it represented the political parties, saying
that Golkar and the National Mandate Party (PAN) were each
represented by two ministers.

The House deputy speaker from PDI Perjuangan, Soetardjo
Soerjogoeritno, however, insisted Megawati's absence at the
announcement was a reflection of her disappointment with the new
Cabinet lineup.

"How can Megawati lead the Cabinet if she does not know well
the quality of the Cabinet members?" he added. (prb/jun)