Indonesia's Megawati Sukarnoputri moved into an office at the presidential palace Monday, two weeks after taking over from Abdurrahman Wahid, as concern over her slow progress in naming a cabinet drove the stock market down again.
The former vice president arrived at the imposing palace complex mid-morning and soon afterwards met Wahid's state secretary, Mahtoub Basyuni.
Megawati, who spent her childhood in the palace as a daughter of first president Sukarno, then held talks with outgoing US ambassador Robert Gelbard.
Gelbard, according to the official Antara news agency, pledged Washington's full support for the new president.
She was also scheduled to meet the head of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency, I Gede Putu Ary Suta, and other officials including Wahid's military secretary, Air Marshal Budi Santoso.
Wahid initially refused to move out of the palace, saying his ousting by the legislature on July 23 was unconstitutional. But he left on July 26 for a medical check-up in the United States.
He returned Friday to Indonesia but headed for his private home. Alwi Shihab, a close Wahid aide, was quoted Monday as saying the former leader accepted the reality of his sacking for misrule and for alleged violations of the constitution.
Megawati had been working from her vice-presidential office and from her home until Monday. She does not plan to live in the palace, officials have said.
Her priority is to finalise a cabinet to start tackling daunting security and economic problems -- including a 140-billion-dollar foreign debt, double-digit inflation and a sickly currency.
The line-up will finally be announced Thursday, according to her vice president, Hamzah Haz, after haggling between political parties over posts delayed the process.
Analysts say she may come under pressure to include most parties in recognition of cross-party support for her election from legislators who were weary of Wahid's erratic 21-month rule.
Shares closed down one percent Monday amid continued concern that the delayed announcement may be due to parties jockeying for ministries.
"The concern is that (Megawati) will be forced to bargain off more power than the market would like," said an analyst with a local brokerage,
Political leaders tried to dispel fears of squabbles.
"Whatever decision Megawati takes in forming the cabinet format, it should be openly accepted by all sides including the political parties," said Akbar Tanjung, who is parliamentary speaker and chairs the second largest party Golkar.
Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party, was quoted by Antara as saying he had "no problem" should Megawati leave his party out.
Rais played a key role as chairman of the national assembly in installing Megawati.
At a meeting Saturday Wahid and other leaders of his National Awakening Party (PKB) agreed it should rejoin both parliament and the national assembly, Shihab was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying.
Shihab has also been chairing the party since Matori Abdul Jalil was sacked for attending the special national assembly session that sacked Wahid. The party boycotted the hearing.
"Gus Dur approved the decision (to return to the legislature) and it is almost certain that all party branches will support this at the coming national meeting (on August 13-14)," Shihab said.
PKB has 51 of the 474 occupied seats in parliament. The separate national assembly is made up of all MPs plus representatives of regions and other sections of society -- JAKARTA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
