Harmoko wants longer pricking time

RENGASDENGKLOK, West Java: As Golkar heads for a landslide victory, its chief Harmoko is regretting that he could only spend less than half a minute alone in a polling booth.

Coming out of a polling booth here Thursday, Harmoko said he had spent the last five years touring the country garnering support for the party he had led since 1993.

"It all climaxed with me spending less than half a minute pricking the Golkar symbol in the booth," he said.

Harmoko, also minister of information, then humored reporters on the bus back to Jakarta.

After he telling them how and what to write about his trip, he turned in his seat and asked a reporter behind him: "Hi, what did you just vote?"

The good humored journalist took the wind out of Harmoko's sails by telling him that he must have forgotten that voter secrecy was guaranteed. (03)