Taufiq Kiemas has left behind his old habits. In his position as the husband of President Megawati Sukarnoputri, he can no longer hang out for hours at his gas station and chat with passers-by as he chows down on a take-out rice dish.

The downfall of Abdurrahman Wahid in mid-2001 pushed Taufiq into the limelight. This is not his familiar environment, as he is more accustomed to the obscurity of working behind the scenes. However,