WHILE many of their friends were out partying and generally behaving like people in their early 20s, some of Indonesia's budding MPs were helping their politician parents do grassroots work.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's son Edhie Baskoro, 28, received his baptism into politics when his father made a bid for the presidency in 2004.
He joined the party as an ordinary member while still studying for his bachelor of commerce degree in Australia, and would spend his university vacation in Indonesia, accompanying his father on constituency work and attending political meetings.
After his graduation in 2005, he spent more time with his father, both on trips across the country and abroad.
In 2006, he enrolled for a master's degree in international economics at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University and since graduating last year has been spending more of his time with the party, working to consolidate it at the grassroots.
Former president Megawati Sukarnoputri's daughter Puan Maharani, 35, was a 20-year-old undergraduate at the University of Indonesia when she started following her mother, chairing political meetings and addressing rallies.
When her mother became president in 2000, she served as a presidential aide.
On occasions she has also filled in for her mother as guest of honour at functions, and in recent months has been criss-crossing the country to build up grassroots support.
Meanwhile, Mr Dave Laksono, who is making his maiden attempt at becoming an MP, said that he was inspired to become a politician by his close relationship with his father, Parliament Speaker Agung Laksono.
'I learnt to make baby steps in politics from my father. He guides me and teaches me,' he said.
