Hamzah loses count of wives<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As a veteran politician from the United Development Party (PPP),
\nVice President Hamzah Haz is accustomed to answering questions
\nfrom the public.<\/p>\n
On Friday however, Hamzah found it very difficult to answer a
\nvery simple question from Nurmadini Arfanti, a student of the
\nBogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB).<\/p>\n
\"How many wives do you actually have pak?,\" ask Nurmadini
\nduring a taping of a dialog with presidential candidates. Trans
\nTV station is scheduled to air the discussion on Monday as a part
\nof its regular program.<\/p>\n
PPP has nominated Hamzah as its presidential candidate in the
\nJuly 5 presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"You can see how many wives I have in my CV,\" Hamzah said.<\/p>\n
\"So, is it two (wives)?\" the student asked again.<\/p>\n
\"Yes,\" the red-faced Vice President replied.<\/p>\n
Hamzah's answer clearly surprised his staff and journalists,
\nwho were also present during the recording. They all know that
\nHamzah has three wives.<\/p>\n
Early this month, journalists visited Hamzah's third wife
\nSoraya to express condolences for the death of her daughter
\nAzizah Kusuma Dewi.<\/p>\n
Azizah was the eldest daughter of Soraya from a previous
\nmarriage and died at the age of 24 due to cervical cancer.<\/p>\n
It was also fresh in the journalist's mind that around one
\nyear ago, Hamzah's first wife Asmaniah admitted that Soraya was
\nHamzah's third wife.<\/p>\n
Hamzah reportedly married his third wife after he was elected
\nvice president in July 2001. The third marriage created an uproar
\nwithin the country's second family.<\/p>\n
It was not clear why Hamzah did not admit the real number of
\nhis wives, but it is a fact that only Asmaniah and his second
\nwife Titin Kartini accompany Hamzah in state functions.<\/p>\n
From Asmaniah Hamzah has nine children, Titin give him three
\nchildren, while Soraya has three children from a previous
\nmarriage.<\/p>\n
A source at the vice president's office said that only the
\nfirst and second wife receive protocol staff and presidential
\nsecurity guards.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hamzah-loses-count-of-wives-1447893297",
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