CHIANG MAI, Thailand-- With President Megawati Sukarnoputri at the helm, the amount of sensational news coming out of Indonesia has somewhat subsided. This is a welcome development as too much media interest usually points to trouble.
How can we summarize prevailing outside perceptions of the archipelago today? No one would dispute the fact that Megawati has succeeded in restoring a degree of calm after the historic upheaval at the end of the Suharto era and the subsequent chaotic situation under President Abdurrahman Wahid, a colorful and well-meaning but quite erratic public figure.
The new president made an initial impact not so much through personal charisma but through her pedigree as the daughter of Indonesia's founding father, Sukarno. But very quickly she managed to project an image of a down-to-earth leader, blessed with common sense as well as with a sense of balance. In addition, she seems to attract generally able collaborators, and while she perhaps proceeds slowly in her actions, she is steady and consistent.