Megawati Sukarnoputri facts for kids

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In this Indonesian name, there is no family name. The name Sukarnoputri is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Megawati.

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Megawati Sukarnoputri

Official portrait, 2001

5th President of Indonesia

In office
23 July 2001 – 20 October 2004

Vice President

Hamzah Haz

Preceded by

Abdurrahman Wahid

Succeeded by

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

8th Vice President of Indonesia

In office
21 October 1999 – 23 July 2001

President

Abdurrahman Wahid

Preceded by

B. J. Habibie (1998)

Succeeded by

Hamzah Haz

Member of House of Representatives

In office
1 October 1999 – 21 October 1999

Succeeded by

Dwi Ria Latifa [id]

Constituency

West Java

In office
1 October 1987 – 30 September 1997

Constituency

Central Java

1st Chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle

Incumbent

Assumed office
15 February 1999

Preceded by

New political party

5th Chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party

In office
22 January 1993 – 27 July 1996

Preceded by

Suryadi

Succeeded by

Suryadi

Government offices


1st Chairperson of BRIN Steering Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 May 2021
Preceded by	Position established
1st Chairperson of BPIP Steering Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 February 2018
Preceded by	Herself (as Head of UKP-PIP)

Personal details

Born

Diah Permata Megawati Setiawati Sukarnoputri

23 January 1947 (age 78)
Djokjakarta, Indonesia

Political party

PDI-P

Other political
affiliations

PDI (1986–1996)

Spouses

Surindro Supjarso

(m. 1968; died 1970)
Hassan Gamal Ahmad Hassan

(m. 1972; ann. 1972)
Taufiq Kiemas

(m. 1973; died 2013)

Children

3, including Puan Maharani

Parents

Sukarno (father)
Fatmawati (mother)

Relatives

Rukmini Sukarno (half-sister)
Franklin Kline (brother-in-law)

Alma mater

Padjadjaran University (unfinished)
University of Indonesia (unfinished)
Mokpo National University (honorary)
Fujian Normal University (honorary)

Occupation

Politician
legislator

Signature

Nickname

Mega

Diah Permata Megawati Setiawati Sukarnoputri (born 23 January 1947) is an Indonesian politician. She served as the fifth president of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004. Before that, she was the eighth vice president from 1999 to 2001 under President Abdurrahman Wahid. She is the first and only female president of Indonesia.

Megawati became president when Abdurrahman Wahid was removed from office in 2001. She tried to be re-elected in the 2004 election. However, she was defeated by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. She ran again in the 2009 election but lost to Yudhoyono a second time. She is the current leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). This is one of Indonesia's largest political parties. She is also the eldest daughter of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno.

Understanding Megawati's Name
Early Life and Education
- Growing Up and Family Life
- Megawati's Schooling
Megawati's Political Journey
The Reformasi Era
Vice Presidency (1999–2001)
Presidency (2001–2004)
- Her Time as President
- 2004 Presidential Election
After Her Presidency
Megawati's Personal Life
Awards and Honors
- Awards from Indonesia
- Awards from Other Countries
Images for kids
See also

Understanding Megawati's Name

Her name, Sukarnoputri, means 'daughter of Sukarno'. It is a patronym, not a family name. Many Javanese people do not have family names. She is often called simply Megawati or Mega. This name comes from Sanskrit and means 'cloud goddess'. An Indian politician, Biju Patnaik, gave her this name at her father Sukarno's request.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up and Family Life

President Sukarno with his children Megawati and Guntur, meeting Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi.

Megawati Sukarnoputri was born in Yogyakarta. Her father was Sukarno, who had declared Indonesia's independence in 1945. Her mother was Fatmawati, who came from a noble family. Megawati was Sukarno's second child. She grew up in the Merdeka Palace, which was her father's home as president. She enjoyed dancing for her father's guests and loved gardening. Megawati was 19 years old when her father left power in 1966. A new government, led by President Suharto, then took over.

Megawati's Schooling

Megawati first went to Padjadjaran University in Bandung. She studied agriculture there but left in 1967. She wanted to be with her father after he lost power. In 1970, the year her father died, Megawati went to the University of Indonesia. She studied psychology but left after two years.

Megawati's Political Journey

Starting as a Member of Parliament

Megawati Sukarnoputri as a member of the People's Representative Council in 1987.

In 1986, President Suharto honored Sukarno as a national hero. Megawati attended this ceremony. This event helped the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) use Sukarno's popularity for the 1987 elections. Until then, Megawati saw herself as a housewife. But in 1987, she joined PDI and ran for a seat in the People's Representative Council (DPR). The PDI accepted her to improve their public image. Megawati quickly became popular. Being Sukarno's daughter made up for her not being a great speaker. Even though PDI came last in the elections, Megawati was elected to the DPR. She also became a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Becoming Leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party

Megawati was not reelected to the DPR, but she stayed a PDI member. In December 1993, the PDI held a big meeting. The government often tried to control these meetings for opposition parties. Three people wanted to be the PDI leader. The current leader, Suryadi, had started to criticize the government. Budi Harjono was favored by the government. The third person was Megawati. She had so much support that her election seemed certain.

The government tried to stop the election. The meeting was about to end when soldiers started to gather. With only two hours left, Megawati held a press conference. She said that since most PDI members supported her, she was now the leader. Even though she didn't have much political experience, she was popular. People liked her because she was Sukarno's daughter and seemed honest. Under her leadership, PDI gained many followers. These included poor people in cities and middle-class people everywhere.

Party Division and Conflict

The government was angry that they couldn't stop Megawati. They never officially recognized her, even though her leadership was confirmed in 1994. In 1996, the government organized a special meeting in Medan. At this meeting, Suryadi was re-elected as leader. Megawati and her supporters refused to accept this. The PDI then split into two groups: one for Megawati and one against her.

The July 27, 1996 Incident

Suryadi threatened to take back the PDI Headquarters in Jakarta. This happened on the morning of 27 July 1996. Suryadi's supporters, reportedly backed by the government, attacked the headquarters. Megawati's supporters fought back. They managed to keep control of the building. A riot then broke out in the city. The government later blamed the riots on another party. They continued to recognize Suryadi's group as the official PDI.

1997 Elections

Even though it seemed like a political loss, Megawati gained public support. Her popularity grew even more. When the 1997 elections came, Megawati and her supporters backed the United Development Party (PPP). This was the other approved opposition party.

The Reformasi Era

1999 Elections and Changes

In mid-1997, Indonesia was hit by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The economy faced serious problems. By early 1998, the Indonesian currency, the rupiah, dropped sharply. Public anger about corruption grew. This led to Suharto's resignation in May 1998. Vice President B. J. Habibie became president. This marked the start of the Reformation era (Reformasi). The restrictions on Megawati were lifted. She began to strengthen her political position. In October 1998, her supporters held a meeting. Megawati's PDI group became known as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). Megawati was elected leader and became their presidential candidate.

PDI-P, along with other reform parties, became key forces for change. Despite their popularity, Megawati and other leaders chose a calm approach. They preferred to wait for the 1999 elections before making big changes. In November 1998, Megawati and other leaders confirmed their commitment to reform.

Election Results and What Happened Next

As the elections got closer, Megawati and other leaders thought about forming a group against President Habibie. In June, the elections were held. PDI-P came in first place with 33% of the votes.

With this victory, Megawati's chances of becoming president looked strong. However, some parties did not want a female president. Before the 1999 MPR General Session, PDI-P formed a loose alliance with another party. As the session neared, it seemed the presidential election would be between Megawati and B. J. Habibie. But then, a group of Islamic parties formed a coalition. The presidential election became a three-way race.

1999 Presidential Election

Wahid Becomes President

Megawati's party faced its first challenge when the MPR met to choose its leader. Megawati supported the leader of her allied party. But he was defeated by another candidate who had support from other parties. This group also helped another politician become the head of the DPR. At this point, people worried that Megawati, who represented reform, would be blocked. PDI-P supporters started to gather in Jakarta.

President Habibie gave a speech that was not well received, and he decided to withdraw. The presidential election on 20 October 1999 was between Megawati and Abdurrahman Wahid. Megawati was ahead at first, but Wahid won with more votes. Megawati's loss caused her supporters to protest. Riots broke out in Java and Bali. In the city of Solo, PDI-P supporters attacked another politician's house.

Megawati Becomes Vice President

The next day, the MPR met to elect the vice president. PDI-P thought about nominating Megawati again. But they were worried she would be blocked. Instead, another party nominated her. She faced strong competition from other candidates. Seeing the riots, some candidates withdrew. Megawati defeated the remaining candidate. In her speech, she asked for calm.

Vice Presidency (1999–2001)

Her Time as Vice President

Megawati's official vice-presidential portrait, BRI 2nd Class featured.

As vice president, Megawati had a lot of power. This was because her party had many seats in the DPR. President Abdurrahman Wahid asked her to handle problems in Ambon, but she was not successful. By August 2000, many people thought Abdurrahman Wahid was not doing a good job as president. He then issued a special order, giving Megawati daily control of the government.

PDI-P Meeting in 2000

The first PDI-P meeting was held in Semarang, Central Java, in April 2000. Megawati was re-elected as the party leader for a second time.

Megawati strengthened her position in PDI-P. She took steps to remove potential rivals. Two other candidates tried to run for leader. They did not want Megawati to be both party leader and vice president at the same time. One candidate's nomination was canceled. He was not allowed to join the meeting. He felt disappointed and left PDI-P. He later formed a new political party. The other candidate was also removed from a key position in the party. He also left the party to become a university lecturer. He later formed his own party too.

Becoming President

Megawati had a complicated relationship with Abdurrahman Wahid. For example, when the cabinet was changed in August 2000, Megawati was not there for the announcement. At another time, when people started to criticize Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati defended him. In 2001, Megawati started to distance herself from Wahid. This was because a special meeting of the MPR was coming. Her chances of becoming president were improving. She did not say much, but she showed signs of getting ready. She held a meeting with party leaders the day before the special session began.

Presidency (2001–2004)

Her Time as President

MPR speaker Amien Rais congratulates Megawati on her appointment as president.

On 23 July 2001, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) removed Wahid from office. Megawati was then sworn in as the new president. She became the sixth woman to lead a country where most people are Muslim. On 9 August 2001, she announced her new government team.

President Megawati during her visit to the White House. Beside her is U.S. president George W. Bush.

Many people were happy when Megawati became president. She had been a symbol of opposition against the previous government. However, her presidency was sometimes seen as slow to make decisions. She also did not have a very clear plan for the country. But, by moving slowly, she helped make the country more democratic. She also improved relationships between the government branches and the military.

2004 Presidential Election

President Megawati was the top candidate for her party in the 2004 presidential election. She hoped to be the first woman elected president in a Muslim-majority country. Her running mate was Hasyim Muzadi, a leader of Indonesia's largest Islamic organization. However, she lost to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the second round of voting. She did not attend the new president's inauguration and never congratulated him.

After Her Presidency

Leading the PDI-P Party

2009 General Election

On 11 September 2007, Megawati announced she would run in the 2009 presidential election. Her party confirmed her as their presidential candidate on 15 May 2009. Prabowo Subianto was her running mate.

Megawati's 2009 campaign included calls to change how people registered to vote. She suggested that her opponent's supporters were trying to unfairly influence the vote. Megawati and Prabowo lost the election to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. They came in second with about 26.79% of the votes.

2014 General Election

Megawati Sukarnoputri with Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla (second and third from left) in 2016.

On 24 February 2012, Megawati said she was not focusing on polls that showed her as a top candidate for the 2014 presidential election. As the leader of PDI-P, she asked her party to focus on their current goals. There were also hints of a possible agreement between Megawati's party and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's party for the 2014 election.

For the 2014 general election, PDI-P and their allies nominated Joko Widodo as their presidential candidate. Joko Widodo won the election against Prabowo Subianto. Later, the relationship between Megawati and Joko Widodo became tense. This was because she supported a police general for a top police job. This general was being investigated. Megawati had worked with him when she was president. Megawati later criticized Joko Widodo's decision. The general was eventually appointed to lead the State Intelligence Agency.

At the 4th PDI-P National Congress on 20 September 2014, Megawati was reappointed as the leader of PDI-P for 2015-2020.

2024 General Election

On 10 January 2024, during PDI-P's 51st anniversary, Megawati gave a speech. She talked about important topics like fair elections and democracy. She also spoke about the role of volunteers in winning elections. She said that only political parties have the power to nominate presidents and vice presidents. At the end of her speech, Megawati said she was sure her party's candidates, Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD, would win the 2024 presidential election in one round. She described them as energetic, smart, and caring for ordinary people.

Roles After Presidency

Megawati Sukarnoputri at the inauguration of the South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, 10 May 2022.

Megawati Sukarnoputri is the only former president who has kept her influence in the government. She has even been given important advisory roles. On 22 March 2018, she was appointed to lead the Steering Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency. She also became the head of the National Research and Innovation Agency Steering Committee on 5 May 2021. She was officially appointed on 13 September 2021.

Other Activities

On 4 October 2023, Megawati met with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur. They discussed many things, including Indonesia's plan to move its capital city to East Kalimantan.

Megawati's Personal Life

Megawati Sukarnoputri with husband Taufiq Kiemas and three children.

Megawati's first husband was Surindro Supjarso. They married on 1 June 1968. He died in a plane crash on 22 January 1970. On 27 June 1972, she married Hassan Gamal Ahmad Hassan, an Egyptian diplomat. This marriage was ended less than three months later. She then married Taufiq Kiemas on 25 March 1973. He passed away on 8 June 2013. Megawati has three children: Mohammad Rizki Pratama, Muhammad Prananda Prabowo, and Puan Maharani. Her sons are from her first marriage, and Puan Maharani is her only child with Taufiq.

Megawati loves nasi goreng (fried rice) and has her own special recipe. Her fried rice is often used as a way to connect with other politicians. Her recipe was created when her father, Sukarno, wanted to entertain some protesters. Famous people who have enjoyed her fried rice include President Abdurrahman Wahid and Prabowo Subianto. The recipe was shared during the 2019 elections. Megawati also likes to cook for her guests. She even remembers their favorite foods. She once said that female government officials should know how to cook.

She also enjoys gardening. This hobby started when she was a member of the House of Representatives. She was part of a committee that dealt with agriculture, forestry, and moving people to new areas.