What's in a name? A lot for Megawati

What's in a name? A lot for Megawati

Reuters, Los Cabos, Mexico

What's in a name? Quite a lot for Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

When introduced at a summit of chief executives in this luxury Mexican resort by a master of ceremonies, who pronounced her name by stressing every letter as it was spelt in official papers -- Soekarnoputri -- Indonesia's president was not amused.

"I would like to give my name correctly," she told business leaders on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. "It is not Megawati Soay-karnoputri, but Suuu- karnoputri," stressed the daughter of Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno. "That's my name."

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose country had been under Spanish colonial rule like Mexico, cleared the air later by quipping in flawless Spanish: "It's much easier to pronounce my name in Spanish."