Sukarnoputri, Megawati (1947–)

views updated

Sukarnoputri, Megawati (1947–)

Indonesian leader. Born Jan 23, 1947, in Jakarta; dau. of Sukarno (1901–1970, founder and 1st president of Independent Indonesia) and Fatmawati; m. Surendro (air force pilot who disappeared in action over Irian Jaya); briefly m. Hassan Gamal Ahmad Hassan (Egyptian businessman); m. Taufik Kiemas; children: 3.

Joined the opposition to President Suharto (1987), a general who had sent her father to internal exile in 1965; when Suharto tried to remove her as leader of the Indonesia Democratic Party (PDIP, 1996), emerged as a national hero because of demonstrations in the capital; after Suharto's resignation (May 1998), relaunched the PDIP; in the country's 1st free parliamentary election (1999), her party won the most votes but the national assembly denied her the top job in favor of Abdurrahman Wahid; became his vice-president; became president of Indonesia (July 2001), when Wahid was dismissed for incompetence; failed to win reelection (2004).

More From encyclopedia.com