Jakarta, Feb 24: A mysterious stopover in Singapore by Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has drawn criticism from opposition parties, news reports said today. Megawati departed Jakarta on Saturday, reportedly heading for Kuala Lumpur to attend a two-day summit of the Non-Alligned Movement (NAM) but she didn't arrive in Malaysia until yesterday.

The head of state and her entourage apparently stopped over in neighbouring Singapore, a favourite shopping destination for wealthy Indonesians. Megawati has offered no official explanation for the Singapore swing, which has irked her critics at home.

He noted that the president could have saved state funds by flying direct to Kuala Lumpur or should have spent the extra day abroad lobbying NAM leaders in the Malaysian capital. Bureau Report