People told to vote for the rich

PADANG, West Sumatra: Golkar Party member and former manpower minister Abdul Latief visited his hometown here not to campaign for his party but for Zairin Kasim, a Regional Representative Council (DPD) candidate.

Other Golkar members, including chairman of the party's provincial chapter here Leonardi Harmaini, were also present to support Zairin, who owns an automotive show room.

Latief told the people not to vote for ordinary people,

"Vote for a wealthy person with lots of money instead of the poor. I would say that Zairin Kasim is the right choice," said Latief, a businessman who served as the manpower minister under former president Soeharto between 1992 and 1997.

Zairin, fourth in the list of DPD candidates from West Sumatra, promised to help improve small and medium size enterprises by focusing on the maritime and fishery, agricultural, cultural and tourist sectors.

"I will also fight for an increase in teachers' salaries so we can provide high quality education," Zairin pledged. -- JP