Bintang, too, is a celebrity

Bintang, too, is a celebrity

JAKARTA (JP): Sri Bintang Pamungkas has proved he is a popular "political celebrity" -- at least among reform-minded student demonstrators.

When attending a Friday night gathering at Tugu Proklamasi where student activists commemorated the first anniversary of Soeharto's downfall, dozens of his admirers jostled with each other to reach him for an autograph.

His fans tossed at him their jackets, T-shirts, headbands and books for a scrawl of his name.

"If Pak Bintang becomes president, I will see him in this jacket," a student grinned. The student's jacket was emblazoned with Bintang's autograph.

Although his autograph was very much in demand, the presidential hopeful from the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) had to swallow his pride when the rally committee refused to let him address the crowd.

Student leaders argued that the forum was only for students and common people, not for politicians. (pan)