Moerdiono rocks Bogor Palace with `Blue Suede Shoes'

Moerdiono rocks Bogor Palace with `Blue Suede Shoes'

BOGOR, West Java (JP): As APEC leaders deliberated inside
Bogor Palace, poised to make their monumental decision, hundreds
of waiting journalists were entertained by an array of singers
and dancers, including a surprise performance by Minister/State
Secretary Moerdiono.

For sheer entertainment value the main attraction here
yesterday was not the closed leaders meeting but the lively stage
performance at the International Press Center located a few
hundred meters southwest of the palace.

Accompanied by the sounds of Los Morenos, local perennial
favorites such as Dewi Yull and Heny Purwonegoro performed
popular numbers especially prepared to enliven the journalists'
11-hour lull.

Close to midday Moerdiono, who is also chairman of the
national APEC host committee, came to the Press Center and was
immediately beckoned to sing.

Renowned for his vocal talent, Moerdiono jumped on stage to
join singer Bob Tutupoly in a calypso rendition of Onde-onde and
the Banana Boat Song.

La Bamba

The minister stayed on stage when a Chilean newsman did a
rousing version of La Bamba and enlisted participation of
"journalists", prompting many, like senior Indonesian journalist
Rosihan Anwar, to trip the light fantastic.

The festive atmosphere heated up further when Moerdiono and
Bob Tutupoly rocked the usually stoic grounds of the 249-year-old
Bogor Palace with Elvis Presley's Blue Suede Shoes.

Amidst the excitement, some journalists typing on their
portable computers obviously had a hard time keeping their hands
from clapping and waving in the air.

The usually reserved Indonesian crowd also showed their true
colors when dang dut songs were performed, causing the beautiful
singer to be swarmed by some eight spirited journalists and
officials gyrating on stage.

Also performing at the Press Center stage were a number of
traditional dances including a luscious jaipong dance.

The tuneful diversion was a welcome relief for the many who
had gathered at the palace grounds at 5 a.m. to report the
proceedings of the APEC summit.

Some weeks earlier when inspecting preparations for the
leaders meeting, President Soeharto himself had pointed out the
need for journalists to be entertained during their long wait for
the conclusion of the meeting. (mds)