Golkar campaigner quizzes reporters

JAKARTA: Golkar campaigners are trying everything to win the hearts and minds of reporters, including playing question and answer for prizes.

Kemala Motik Abdul Gafur, the chief of Indonesian Women for Development, Golkar's women's wing, quizzed journalists about Golkar yesterday.

The wife of Abdul Gafur, a deputy chief of Golkar, said: "I'll give you my watch if you can tell me about the three pillars of Golkar."

The reporters were silent.

Kemala, who met Soeharto yesterday to present him with a book on profiles of 100 Indonesian businesswomen, including the late First Lady Tien Soeharto, was not put out. She asked another question, "When was Golkar established?"

The 20 or so journalists remained silent, some looked baffled.

But she got lucky with her third and final question, "Who's the chairman of Golkar?"

"Harmoko," all the journalists said cheerfully.

"You'd be in trouble if you didn't know the answer," Kemala said, taking of her wristwatch and giving it to a female TV reporter.

Her colleague sneered and said, "I'm sure that was not Kemala's best wristwatch." (06)