Indosat sale opponent tries 'to serve the people'
Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta
The sale of the government's 41.9 percent stake in state-owned telecommunications company PT Indosat in December 2002 proved to be a galvanizing moment for the company's general manager, Marwan Batubara, who quit his job and eventually took part in the election for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) as a candidate from Jakarta.
"Initially, I was not interested in joining the DPD race. But many people encouraged me to take part in the election," said Marwan on Tuesday, referring to the company's employees, university students, non-governmental organization activists and workers unions.
His decision to run for election paid off. Along with cosmetics businesswoman Mooryati Soedibyo, veteran politician Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and radio personality Biem Triani Benjamin, Marwan will represent the people of Jakarta on the DPD.
Marwan believes that most of the 316,528 people who voted for him were the same people who had earlier backed him in his opposition to the government's sale of its Indosat shares.
He also acknowledged that he also approached leaders of political parties, including the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Awakening Party (PKB), before the election.
As a DPD member, Marwan sees his future duties as being divided into two categories. The first relates proposing draft laws, taking part in deliberations of draft laws, offering ideas to improved proposed laws and supervising the implementation of laws. The second related to "informal" duties such as listening to his constituents and doing his best to accommodate their aspirations.
He said that, because DPD members were elected directly by the people, making time to meet with constituents and hear the problems and complaints was probably the most important of his tasks.
"This second category of work sets us apart from the regional faction at the People's Consultative Assembly, as the faction members are not elected directly by the people."
Echoing an earlier statement by Sarwono, Marwan said the four DPD members from Jakarta would propose the establishment of a joint secretariat staffed by experts from various backgrounds, who would be able to advise the DPD in carrying out its duties.
He pointed to senators in the United States who were supported by advisers and experts.
"We may not have experts like the senators in the United States, but we must begin to work professionally. We need a number of experts who are ready to advise us on various issues," he said.
Marwan said the DPD members would be able to respond to any problems in Jakarta, as well as the aspirations of the people, if they were properly supported by experts.