Jakarta – Presidential hopeful Megawati Soekarnoputri has embarked on a tour to visit poor families across Java.

The five-day trip was organized after Megawati accepted her nomination as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)'s presidential candidate in the 2009 elections.

On Sunday she visited Karawang, Subang and Indramayu in West Java province.

She brushed off accusations she had started her election campaign.

"No, I am not starting a campaign here. It is a normal thing for a party leader to visit the constituents," she was quoted as saying by detik.com newsportal. "I am just visiting those who vote for me. I also want to know whether things have gotten better or worse."

Earlier in Karawang, Megawati and her husband Taufik Kiemas, who is the PDI-P's chief patron, handed over seeds to farmers.

Karawang is one of the country's biggest rice producing areas.

The Karawang farmers asked Megawati to resolve the scarcity of seeds and fertilizer during planting season.

Responding to the question, Megawati instructed PDI-P legislators to listen to the people's hopes and work for the sake of poor families.

"The legislators in Jakarta and local councilors must make pro-poor policies," Megawati was quoted as saying by Antara.

The PDI-P, the country's largest political party after the Golkar Party, is the first party to officially name its candidate in the 2009 elections.

Megawati accepted the nomination during the party's meeting in October.

Megawati was president from 2001 to 2004, succeeding Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who was forced to step down by the People's Consultative Assembly over a corruption scandal.

Megawati was then defeated by her former chief security minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in the 2004 presidential election.

It is believed that current Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is also chairman of the Golkar Party, will probably run for the presidency as well in the 2009 election, although he is yet to officially declare himself a candidate.

Kalla had his own "political safari" during the Idul Fitri holiday, visiting a number of Indonesian leaders including former presidents and vice presidents. He also had a whirlwind tour of nine provinces in Sumatra and Sulawesi.

Former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso has also declared his readiness to be nominated as a presidential candidate, although is he is yet to drum up support from any of the major parties.

Megawati is scheduled to visit Cirebon, West Java as well as Brebes and Tegal in Central Java on Monday.

On Tuesday, she will visit the Central Java towns of Blora and Rembang, where she will visit the grave of early Indonesian feminist RA Kartini.

The tour will end in East Java with Megawati visiting Surabaya, Sidoarjo and Blitar on Wednesday and heading to Tulungagung, Trenggalek and Magetan on Thursday.