When will you get married, Dad?

When will you get married, Dad?

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief is coming
under increasing pressure to remarry with the latest call coming
from his four children.

But as a senior government minister and a businessman, he says
he is just too caught up in the rat race to even think of going
on dates.

He confided to a gathering yesterday that when he opened his
calendar on Feb. 9th and realized it was the Moslem year of 1417
Hijriyah, he smiled as he remembered his children's advice that
he should have ended his widower status by the end of the month.

Latief was recounting this personal experience when he hosted
an informal post-Idul Fitri get together at his office for
ministry employees and journalists.

"We want to see Daddy get married in Syawal (the current month
according to the Moslem calendar)," he said quoting one of his
children to the laughter of his guests, who included well-known
Islamic preacher Zainuddin MZ.

Antara reported that similar advice has, on numerous
occasions, come from Latief's close aides, including Suwarto, the
director general for labor standards.

"Yes of course I, too, have to think about it... but I just
don't have time (to get married again)," he said to huge applause
and whistles from his guests.

Latief and his first wife divorced before he became a minister
in 1993. (pan)