Bus owners play hard to get

Bus owners play hard to get

JAKARTA: As animosity against the once extremely powerful
Golkar abounds, even bus drivers and people on the street are
playing hard to get with the party.

Leaders of the ruling Golkar party found getting people and
transportation for Monday's campaigning were scarce due to fear
of attacks on the street.

Chairman of the Golkar party of the Kenari subdistrict branch
in Central Jakarta, Edi, said that only a few people were finally
willing to join the campaign but refused to wear the party
attributes.

"Metromini and Kopaja minibuses also had the same conditions.
We agreed to rent a minibus for Rp 300,000 and without Golkar
attributes," he said.

During Monday's campaigning at Rajawali Selatan area in
Central Jakarta, most of the estimated 700 Golkar supporters put
on Golkar T-shirts, caps or jackets only after they had arrived
at the locations.

"Our leader asked us to wear the Golkar attributes only after
we arrived here. We were afraid that people would pelt objects at
us on our way," she said.

Most of the party supporters removed the party's attributes
after the campaigning. (ind)