Muninggar Sri Saraswati – Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, Megawati Sukarnoputri, defended her 2001-04 government during a presentation of her party's economic program to a number of noted business people on Friday.

"We will continue our programs that we were not able to complete in 2004. Our main two priorities are improving the nation's unity and people's welfare," she told attendees at the event, which was organized by the country's business community.

Megawati replaced former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid in 2001, but lost the 2004 direct presidential election to her former minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. She criticized Yudhoyono's government for "eroding our country's economic foundation in 2005," and for "not being ready to face the economic crisis in 2008."

However, when a noted entrepreneur, Djimanto, asked why Megawati failed to support the country's shoe industry, which he said provided million of jobs, she answered that the question had been raised "a little too late."

"You should have asked me when I was president. You may not know or not have been aware that I was the one who supported micro- and middle-level industries," she said.

Megawati, who has declared her intention to run in the July presidential election, reiterated that she had not been able to do much for the country because she had only led Indonesia for three years instead of the full presidential term of five years.

PDI-P Secretary General Pramono Anung asked a number of business people and entrepreneurs to join the party. "Join us," he said after entrepreneur Rachmat Gobel presented policy recommendations about exports and trade to the PDI-P.

Pramono also invited Commissioner of Bank Central Asia, or BCA, Sigit Pramono to join the PDI-P. "I think the ideas of Sigit Pramono would be useful if he would join us," he said.