HE had only visited West Sumatra on three occasions when he nominated himself as the candidate governor for the province two years ago. One of these was in 1995, when he was only 27. Perhaps because he was not well-known there, Jeffrie Geovanie, the candidate, failed to win the election.

The 40-year-old is now trying another area, the Jakarta Special Province. The National Mandate Party (PAN) has nominated him as the candidate for deputy governo