Ninjas armed with marbles

SEMARANG: Javanese ninjas are much more self-confident than their Japanese counterparts. Want proof?

As seen in Hollywood action flicks, Japanese ninjas are usually armed with knives and swords as they go about their activities.

Javanese ninjas are roaming the streets during the campaign season armed only with marbles. Their mission is to disrupt the rallies of reformist political parties. Their tactic: throwing marbles in the street so careless campaigners riding motorcycles will slip, slide and fall over.

The ninjas' operation was revealed on Thursday by Novel Ali, chief of the Central Java Elections Supervisory Committee.

According to Novel, the ninjas' area of operation is the Central Java regency of Klaten.

He said that in several towns, including Semarang and Ungaran, the ninjas were responsible for the disappearance or destruction of Golkar Party banners.

"I believe the ninjas mean to set the supporters of Golkar against those of other parties," he said. (har)