Minister takes a turn as reporter

JAKARTA (JP): What do ministers do on a Sunday to take a break from the hectic schedule of the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly?

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela considers posing as a journalist to be a pleasant diversion.

After attending a plenary session of the Golkar Party faction at the Assembly on Sunday, Mahadi borrowed a press identification card from a Suara Merdeka reporter and a tape recorder from a Jakarta Post reporter, and set forth to interview Golkar's Ekky Syachruddin.

"What is your opinion on the Cabinet reshuffle? What if the President picks you as one of the ministers?" Mahadi asked while pointing the tape recorder at Ekky.

Ekky went along with the "interview", giving light answers to the questions.

"I already said I support the President's reply but I still didn't get picked to be a minister," Ekky quipped.(dja)