PKB plans campaign a la Arnold

SURABAYA: The East Java branch of the National Awakening Party (PKB) says it plans to emulate Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in its campaign.

The party has also chartered three helicopters and five boats to transport former president and party co-founder Aburrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid during his campaign tour.

"We want our campaigns to be like those of Arnold Schwarzenegger. We'll be different from other parties because we've prepared colorful and specially designed buses and cars with Gus Dur's photographs on them," PKB East Java deputy chairman Fathorrasjid said on Thursday.

The buses, he said, would be used to transport Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) ulemas and other PKB officials.

"Every branch will prepare three cars to make a total of 114 cars from 38 branches," said Fathorrasjid, who is also a legislative candidate from East Java, a PKB stronghold.

He said Gus Dur planned to campaign in all areas of East Java.

"Perhaps he'll only stop by for a while, but what's important is that he visits all parts of the province," he added.

Fathorrasjid refused to disclose the PKB's campaign funding source, but asserted that "it is transparent and legal according to existing regulations". -- JP