"I'm Not Sick," Says Indonesian PresidentIndonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid Friday dismissed the rumors that he had skipped the weekly Friday prayers due to illness.Wahid told reporters that he was undergoing a routine medical check-up and that his body was wired to certain medical devices such as heartbeat and blood pressure monitors that have to be worn for 24 hours prior to a thorough general check up to be conducted on Saturday. "So I cannot do anything (with the devices stuck to his body). It's difficult for me to perform Friday prayers under that condition ... so I passed on the prayers according to Islamic law. The decision not to perform them is a personal decision," he was quoted by the Antara News Agency as saying. Several top ministers, including Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and National Police chief General Surojo Bimantoro were also asking about his condition, the president said. Doctors looking after the president told reporters here Friday that Wahid would undergo a regular medical checkup on Saturday morning. |
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