DATE=8/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA POL (L-O) UPDATE
NUMBER=2-265299
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has
caved-in to political pressure and handed over day-to-
day running of his government to Vice-President
Megawati Sukarnoputri. As Patricia Nunan reports from
Jakarta, Vice President Megawati - one of Indonesia's
most popular, but untested, politicians will be
largely in control.
TEXT: In a speech read by a cabinet minister,
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid delegated much
of the responsibility for running the Indonesian
government to Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
/// ACT IN INDONESIAN ///
The cabinet minister says the president will charge
the vice president with executing the daily technical
tasks, drawing up the cabinet working agenda, and
establishing the focus and priority of the government.
Under the new arrangement, Vice President Megawati
will remain accountable to President Wahid - who will
play more of a role in foreign policy matters.
The surprise announcement comes after days of
speculation about plans by opposition leaders to strip
President Wahid of his powers in order to elevate Ms.
Megawati to a more prominent position.
The announcement was made during the third-day of the
meeting of Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly
-- the highest legislative body. It was charged with
evaluating President Wahid during his first 10-months
in office.
A moderate Muslim leader, President Wahid's popularity
suffered because of what was considered to be erratic
and mercurial behavior. He also put together a
compromise cabinet - made up of figures from across
Indonesia's political spectrum - in order to appease
his political enemies. But it was quickly divided by
factionalism and is blamed in part for Indonesia's
continuing economic crisis.
With the delegation of powers to Ms. Megawati,
President Wahid also pledged to reorganize the cabinet
- a decision welcomed by opposition leader Akbar
Tanjung.
/// TANJUNG [ENGLISH] ACT ///
I think the vice president will follow the
responsibilities to you know, to make the
cabinet to be successful in the future.
/// END ACT ///
The daughter of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno,
Ms. Megawati is a 54-year-old housewife with no
experience in government prior to her election as
vice-president. She is one of Indonesia's most
popular politicians and her political party, the
People's Democratic Party of Struggle won the majority
of seats in parliamentary elections last year.
Ms. Megawati first entered the political limelight in
1996 when she stood up to the autocratic former
President Suharto, who tried to push her out of the
leadership of her party.
But since becoming vice-president, Ms. Megawati has
maintained a very low profile - rarely appearing in
public and, government insiders say, rarely speaking
in cabinet meetings.
For that reason, many doubt her abilities to lead
Indonesia through its many problems - including the
economic crisis and continued sectarian fighting in
several outlying provinces.
Political analyst James Van Zorge agrees.
/// ACT VAN ZORGE ///
She has shown zero leadership skills ever since
coming into the vice presidency. So I think she
would be a big problem in terms of
effectiveness. As president, I would say
probably minimal.
/// END ACT ///
Analysts say Indonesia's powerful military is likely
to favor Ms. Megawati's new role. Although she came
to power in the era of political reform, she is
considered a staunch conservative. (SIGNED)
NEB/MP/RAE
09-Aug-2000 14:43 PM EDT (09-Aug-2000 1843 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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