Indonesia's President, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, got down to business yesterday as the race to be her number two heated up and the family of her ousted predecessor packed its bags to leave the presidential palace.
But though the family members of former president, Mr Abdurrahman Wahid, said they were packing, his spokesman said there was no indication that Mr Wahid himself was ready to leave.
"That the family is preparing to leave, that's true, but whether Gus Dur is, I don't know," Mr Wahid's spokesman, Mr Adhie Massardi, said referring to the president by his popular nickname. Mr Wahid has said through his spokesman he would not budge from the Merdeka Palace, considering his sacking to be illegal.
Ms Megawati, who was in no hurry to force Mr Wahid out of the Merdeka state complex, was meanwhile meeting a succession of officials and well-wishers at her former vice-presidential office.
Indonesia's national assembly voted on Monday to oust Mr Wahid, whose erratic 21-month rule was portrayed as one marred by allegations of graft and inept administration, and replaced him with his deputy Ms Megawati.
Ms Megawati was brought to the vice-president's office, just a block away from the palace where Mr Wahid was with close friends and family.
Mr Heri Achmadi, an executive of Ms Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), said she was immersed in forming a new multi-party cabinet.
Choosing the cabinet was going to "take a long time", he said. "Because she has to include so many parties. This is going to be a joint cabinet, a power-sharing government," Mr Achmadi said.
Her first guest yesterday was the national police chief, who Mr Wahid had tried to sack, Gen Suroyo Bimantoro, and seven other police generals. It was Mr Wahid's bid to install a new police chief last Friday without parliament's approval which was the stated reason for the impeachment.
Also among the first officials to greet Ms Megawati was the national assembly chairman, Mr Amien Rais, a bitter foe of Mr Wahid who presided over his removal and Ms Megawati's elevation to the presidency.
Meanwhile, the country was gearing up for tomorrow's election of the vice-president, with the former ruling Golkar party pushing hard for its leader to get the post.
Ms Megawati's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), said it was not fielding any candidate. The new president professed to have no personal preference.