Penis sheaths have Golkar color

JAKARTA: Tribesmen in Irian Jaya know only too well how to please visiting Golkar chief Harmoko and other top party executives from Jakarta.

Many of them attending a Golkar campaign in Wamena on Monday painted their koteka (penis sheaths) shiny yellow, the dominant party's color.

Koteka, widely worn by men in Irian Jaya's hinterland, are usually dark brown.

The men wearing yellow koteka were also an attraction to the townspeople, Kompas newspaper said yesterday.

In cities, Golkar officials usually take along a group of glamorous Dangdut folk singers to attract crowds to its rallies.

When asked if the tribesmen painted their koteka yellow because they were intimidated into doing so by local Golkar officials, a tribal man said, "No Sir, it's our initiative. It's our pleasure to do it." (pan)