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)