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)