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Sukarno's

daughter

advocates

clean government

JAKARTA: Opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of Indonesia's founding father, Sukarno, said in an address to mark the anniversary of the country's independence that clean government was essential to its international standing.

"A clean and authoritative government are unconditional requirements to earn the trust and support of the people," she said in an address quoted by the official Antara news agency on Saturday.

Megawati, 48, and head of the Indonesia Democratic Party (PDI), said this would "enable the unitary state of Indonesia ... to stand on a par and with honour among nations."

Indonesia celebrated its anniversary on August 17, the day in 1945 that Sukarno proclaimed independence after nearly four centuries of Dutch rule and three years of Japanese military occupation in World War Two.

PDI itself on Friday called for comprehensive political rights and an end to business monopolies.

"Approaches towards all problems involving the state, nation and people must be done in a constitutional manner, not through approaches based on force and authority," it said in a statement quoted by Antara.-Reuter