'Assembly members make me sick'<\/p>\n
Despite the ongoing Annual Session, people remain skeptical
\nthat the 700 members of the People's Consultative Assembly will
\nactually be able to come up with solutions to cope with the
\ncountry's political and economic crisis. They shared their views
\nwith The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Rino, 34, has been working as a traditional medicated oil
\nvendor in the city for 12 years. He comes from Southeast Maluku
\nand now resides in Kemanggisan, West Jakarta, with his wife and
\ntwo children:<\/p>\n
I never ever feel the legislators represent me as a low-income
\nearner. They don't even help us to survive.<\/p>\n
They claim they fight for the poor, but which poor people do
\nthey fight for? It's just nonsense! So, tell them not to talk
\nabout poor people because it is all just a big lie.<\/p>\n
They only talk of their own interests and positions.<\/p>\n
I swear that if they ever pass me by, I will throw stones at
\nthe faces of the people's representatives.<\/p>\n
I'm sick of them. My life is getting worse and they do nothing
\nto improve our fate.<\/p>\n
Every time I see them driving their posh cars, I wonder how
\nthey are able to earn that much money. I have been working for
\nmany years but I can't afford to even buy a bicycle at the
\nmoment.<\/p>\n
Diki, 26, is a mobile vendor who sells beverages and
\ncigarettes. He was born in Kuningan, West Java, and now lives
\nwith his wife and one son in Klender, East Jakarta:<\/p>\n
The Annual Session is meaningless because the people's
\nrepresentatives never side with the poor. I don't even feel they
\nrepresent our interests, just theirs.<\/p>\n
The legislators and the country's leaders are all the same:
\nThey are the wrong people. They are not down-to-earth people who
\nare willing to lower themselves to see the reality of poor
\npeople's lives.<\/p>\n
I'm not quite sure they can open their eyes and see how
\nvendors like me have to stay continuously alert for City Public
\nOrder officers who are ready to evict us at any minute. Do they
\nrecognize the insecurity felt by most vendors?<\/p>\n
We face such a hard life every day. Do you think Megawati
\nknows what happens to us low-income people?<\/p>\n
Windu Aji, 31, is a marketing staff of a noted publishing
\ncompany. He resides in Cibubur, East Jakarta:<\/p>\n
Practically speaking, the people's representatives have failed
\nto struggle for the betterment of people's lives in general. I
\nhave never felt they represent the people's interests at all.<\/p>\n
In my opinion, the People's Consultative Assembly and the
\nHouse of Representatives lack qualified human resources. The
\nquality can be measured by their consistent commitment to the
\npoor and their personal capacity. Perhaps less than 2 percent of
\nthe legislators meet that quality.<\/p>\n
Frankly, I'm apathetic to them, because they just come, sit
\nand voice superficial ideas at most of the sessions. Worse still,
\nthey don't even feel embarrassed about receiving a high salary
\nwithout working properly.<\/p>\n
Most legislators should be replaced in an attempt to improve
\nthe quality of the people's representatives. Otherwise, the
\npeople's interests will always be neglected.<\/p>\n
Tika, 31, a kindergarten teacher in Depok. She resides in
\nDepok with her two children and husband:<\/p>\n
I don't think they represent all the people here. If they were
\nour representatives they would have done something to slow down
\nthe rocketing prices of everyday items.<\/p>\n
Personally, I'm reluctant to say or think about politicians or
\nour leaders. It drives me crazy and makes my head spin. Instead
\nof making our lives more comfortable, they make it more
\nmiserable.<\/p>\n
I just hope they can stop the price hikes. How we can live
\nprosperously if our income is not enough even to cover our most
\nbasic daily needs?<\/p>\n
--Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/assembly-members-make-me-sick-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }