Governor breaks for live TV show

Governor breaks for live TV show

JAKARTA (JP): Millions of the country's citizens were glued to
their televisions on Wednesday to watch the live broadcast of the
nail-biting presidential election.

East Java Governor Imam Utomo went so far as to temporarily
suspend a meeting with his staff. He allowed all employees in his
office to take several hours to witness the excitement of the
neck-and-neck race for the presidency. The same scene was
repeated in other government offices.

Antara reported that East Java's capital of Surabaya was
quiet. Business and social activities were halted as people
preferred to stay at home to watch the proceedings on TV.

"Not only staff, but arriving passengers and their families
waiting for them watched on TV sets here," said Yayuk, an
employee at Juanda International Airport.

In Jombang, the birthplace of elected president Abdurrahman
Wahid, some 60 kilometers west of Surabaya, streets were
deserted. Heavy rain throughout the day also prevented locals
from venturing outside. (amd)