Candidates exploit race during campaign<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In this ethnically diverse country, the ideal of national unity
\nis an important way to peace. However, a little digging into
\none's roots doesn't hurt either, especially for the aspiring
\ncandidates in this city of migrants: Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Singer Vivi Effendy appeals to her people's Betawi roots, the
\nnative Jakartans who often feel marginalized; meanwhile, Hanan
\nSoeharto, of Chinese descent, has his face posted all over areas
\nwhere Chinese Indonesians are predominate; and the Batak language
\nof the banners promoting Poltak Situmorang, is only
\nunderstandable to those from his home province, North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
They are among 38 aspiring candidates who contest the four
\nseats of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) representing
\nJakarta province. Each of the country's 32 provinces will have
\nonly four DPD members. Its powers will include recommending laws
\nto the legislature. DPD candidates are not party-based and the
\nbody has no precedent in the nation's history, coming into
\nexistence following the recently amended 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
The 38 candidates for Jakarta include a considerable number of
\nthe city's minorities -- 10 are Betawis and four are ethnically
\nChinese.<\/p>\n
The candidates asserted on Friday they would not provoke
\nsectarianism in garnering support. Ethnicity used to be shunned,
\nespecially during the 32-year rule of Soeharto ending in 1998.<\/p>\n
Vivi, a popular dangdut singer of the 1970s, said that she
\nonly brought up her Betawi ethnicity in her campaign \"because I
\nwas born and raised here.\"<\/p>\n
\"Furthermore, Betawi people only account for 20 percent of the
\ncapital's total population, which I think (by itself) would be
\ninsufficient support for me,\" she said.
\nShe said she had campaigned to residents from many ethnicities.<\/p>\n
However, Vivi's 20 percent would mean 1.5 million people if
\none goes by the official \"night time\" population figure of the
\ncity minus the commuters. So Vivi would have reached out to a
\nfair share of the population when she addressed an applauding
\naudience, \"For quite a long time the Betawi people have suffered
\nfrom (negative attitudes) of people from outside Jakarta. They
\nnever really cared about us, the Betawis. We have become aliens
\nin our home.\"<\/p>\n
Candidate Hanan Soeharto, a lawyer by training, said the large
\nnumber of ethnic Chinese in the capital was only one of many
\nreasons why he decided to run for the DPD.<\/p>\n
\"With a little helping hand from God, I could be elected as a
\nDPD member with a simple majority if all Chinese here cast their
\nvotes for me,\" said Hanan.<\/p>\n
In his campaign, Hanan has staged the Chinese traditional lion
\ndance, which was banned during the 32-rule of former president
\nSoeharto administration.<\/p>\n
Hanan vowed that should he be elected, he would do his utmost
\nto end discrimination against the Chinese people. However, he was
\nquick to add, \"I have also reached out to other ethnic and
\nreligious groups, and disenfranchised citizens\" such as victims
\nof eviction.<\/p>\n
Poltak Situmorang, the candidate with a Batak background born
\nin Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra, also insists he is running
\nnot only to represent his own ethnic group.<\/p>\n
When asked about whether he was taking into account the large
\nnumber of Batak people living in Jakarta, the 44-year-old
\ncandidate raised his voice: \"Your question is irrelevant to the
\ncurrent social conditions. We should promote unity regardless of
\nour ethnicity.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/candidates-exploit-race-during-campaign-1447893297",
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