Fri, 11 Aug 2000

MPR session a reunion

JAKARTA (JP): Birds of a feather always flock together, although the passage of time may have separated them.

Several Cabinet ministers made full use of a time-out during Tuesday evening's program of the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to meet old friends who, as legislators, are now in a position to criticize them.

State Minister of Environment Sony Keraf was seen chatting with Paul S. Baut of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction. They were colleagues at the Jakarta-based Atma Jaya University where they both worked as lecturers.

A few meters away, State Minister of Investment and State Enterprises Empowerment Rozy Munir and his friends, who are members of the House of Representatives Commission IX for financial and budgetary affairs, got together for a photo session.

State Minister of Research and Technology Muh. A.S. Hikam and Minister of Trade and Industry Luhut Panjaitan were also seen making their own groups with MPR legislators. (amd)