Guess What? Garin Nugroho

Guess What? Garin Nugroho

For Garin Nugroho, being part of the circle of Very Important
Persons is somewhat confusing.

He says he keeps tight-lipped when people accuse him of
cozying up to famous figures.

"People said I was very close to Gus Dur (former president
Abdurrahman Wahid), and then some people said I was part of the
group which plotted against him. I just know him well," said the
40-year-old director of such critically acclaimed films as Daun
Di Atas Bantal, and Puisi Tak Terkuburkan.

"I am also close to (President) Megawati (Soekarnoputri), but
not because she is the President."

He admitted to having been given "special tasks" by both of
them, "but I have never had a real (official) position".

"I might know many things, but I cannot tell anything to
anyone. I must remain ethical. It is better if I say nothing when
people accuse me of being a member of the VIPs' cliques."

And he only smiled when asked about his involvement in the
botanical garden development campaign scheduled to begin in
Bedugul, some 40 kilometers north of Denpasar, Bali, in mid-
October. Megawati is said to be behind the project.

So, will he head the project?

"No, I don't know my position," he said with a laugh. (Soeryo
Winoto)