Mega raises Rp 6.7b at gala dinner

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) raised up to Rp 6.7 billion (US$705,263) in campaign funds at a two-hour gala dinner on Saturday.

The fund was raised by auctioning masterpieces by noted artists such as Kartika Affandi and a song by Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, which netted Rp 500 million alone.

Attending the Rp 1 million-per-head event were several high- profile tycoons such as The Ning King, Prayogo Pangestu and Murdaya Po, and hundreds of businesspeople.

It was the first fund-raiser held by Megawati's team during the campaign period, which ends on July 1, while other candidates have held fund-raisers since campaigning began on June 1. -- JP