President to meet East Java leaders

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri will visit the East Java capital of Surabaya next month to hold talks with some 1,000 community leaders in the province.

One community leader, Achmad Zaini, said after a meeting with the President at her office on Monday that the talks would focus on the current situation in the country.

"The event is not meant to gather political support for the President, but merely a discussion between a leader and her people," Achmad said, dismissing allegations that Megawati would pursue her political interests during the meeting.

The province is a stronghold of the National Awakening Party (PKB), whose chief patron Abdurrahman Wahid was impeached and replaced as president by Megawati in 2001.

Achmad said the meeting would be held in the compound of the Heroes Monument. Religious leaders, women activists and traditional leaders will attend the forum, according to Achmad. --JP.