T. Kiemas flies to S'pore for checkup

JAKARTA: Taufik Kiemas, the husband of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, was discharged from the Pertamina hospital on Tuesday but immediately flown to Perth, Australia, to undergo a further medical checkup.

Tjahyo Kumolo, a leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction at the House of Representatives, said that, based on a medical examination at Pertamina hospital, Taufik was in good health but had to go on a diet to shed some weight.

Taufik was rushed to the Pertamina hospital last Friday but there was no immediate information about his illness.

Tjahyo said Taufik took a commercial Quantas flight on Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by daughter Puan Maharani, two palace physicians and two presidential guards.

Megawati was unable to see her husband off as she underwent a medical check at the Gatot Subroto Army hospital as part of requirements for running in the July 5 presidential election. --JP