Farmer loses goats for voting PPP

BANJARNEGARA, Central Java: A farmer's three goats have been seized by the government because he voted for the United Development Party (PPP) instead of Golkar.

Winoto, 20, was one of the Purwodadi villagers who received goats several months ago under a government scheme to alleviate poverty.

Winoto received one goat under the program. The goat later gave birth to two kids.

But two village officials went to his home early this week after Winoto told neighbors that he had voted for PPP. The officials took away all three goats.

"So I got nothing for raising the goat for months until it had two kids," Winoto said Tuesday.

He said he had been constantly criticized by neighbors for not voting for the government-backed Golkar. "I was impressed by PPP's popularity during the campaign, so I pricked the star, PPP's symbol, in the polling station."

News on the goats' confiscation worried the subdistrict's chief, Nurhadi Sasono.

"I will ask village officials to return the kids. They may take the mother," he said. (wah/pan)