VIP photos adorn MPR building

JAKARTA: Documentary pictures began to adorn the People's Consultative Assembly building on the eve of its Annual Session on Wednesday, with photos of founding president Sukarno outnumbering those of his predecessors.

Of 125 photos on display, Sukarno is seen in 19, including the monumental picture of the declaration of independence on Aug. 17. 1945.

There are 13 photos of incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is Sukarno's daughter, eight of fourth president Abdurrahman Wahid, two of third president B.J. Habibie and six of Soeharto, who ruled the country for 32 years.

The pictures, selected by the National Information Institute (LIN), are on display in the MPR lobby.

Soeharto, as chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), is also portrayed in one of 13 photos related to the abortive coup attempt blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) in 1965.

Apart from the VIP pictures, LIN is exhibiting nine documentary photos taken during the first election in 1955. The text that accompanies the pictures refers to the top three parties, but not PKI, which finished fourth. --JP.