DPD candidates: From SMS to napping<\/p>\n
A. Junaidi
\nand Rusman
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta\/Samarinda<\/p>\n
Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and
\nRegional Representatives Council (DPD) candidates are running the
\ncampaign gamut from mass gatherings, publications to mobile phone
\nmessages as they compete on rough terrain, not only against other
\ncandidates, but also against concurrent party campaigns.<\/p>\n
The DPD is a new government institution that will be
\nestablished after the legislative election due on April 5. The
\ncountry's 32 provinces will have four representatives each in the
\ncouncil, which is similar in function to the United States
\nSenate.<\/p>\n
Along with the DPD's establishment, the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, or MPR, is to be dissolved as an institution, and will
\nconvene only as a regulated forum -- its sessions yet to be
\ndetermined -- between the House and the new council.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, candidate Aberson Marle Sihaloho chose to take a
\nnap, according to a source at his home, instead of campaigning as
\nscheduled on Tuesday for one of only four seats on the capital's
\ncouncil. A veteran politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI-P), Sihaloho and was either highly confident of
\nhis chances or utterly hopeless.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Aberson will meet his supporters at home,\" a source, who
\ndeclined to be named, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
In the afternoon, however, Sihaloho's home on Jl. Kramat VII,
\nCentral Jakarta, seemed quiet and the source said the DPD
\naspirant was taking a nap.<\/p>\n
In contrast, Golkar veteran politician and House Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung has vowed \"to go all out\" with his campaign, and said
\nhis camp was not underestimating any party, even the new, minor
\nones.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jakarta DPD candidate and veteran PDI-P politician
\nLukman F. Mokoginta was seen among those campaigning for votes,
\npromising to solve the capital's chronic problems, such as the
\nyearly floods.<\/p>\n
\"I will fight so that the Jakarta governor really has the
\nauthority to manage Jakarta and its surrounding areas...,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Lukman claimed that the city's flood problem was created by
\npoor environmental management in surrounding areas, such as Depok
\nand Cianjur, West Java.<\/p>\n
In Medan, North Sumatra, a candidate promoted himself via
\nshort message service (SMS) from his mobile phone, confusing many
\nresidents who were unfamiliar with his aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"I did not know who sent the message. He just asked to be
\nchosen as a DPD member from North Sumatra,\" Sendi, one resident
\nwho received the message, was quoted by Antara as saying on
\nTuesday. The candidate only introduced himself as Polin Pospos, a
\nlecturer and senior economist at a university in Medan, Sendi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In Samarinda, East Kalimantan, DPD candidate Hasanuddin Rahman
\nsaid he was not expecting a huge turnout at his campaign.<\/p>\n
\"It's difficult to gather people and it also requires no small
\namount of money,\" said Hasanuddin, head of venture capital
\ncompany Sarana Ventura Kaltim.<\/p>\n
He said he refrained from organizing a mass gathering and
\ninstead released a book on his vision and mission as well as
\ncalendars, all of which cost less than holding big events.<\/p>\n
Another local candidate, Heriyadi, also said funds were needed
\nto hire attendants and renting venues and transportation.<\/p>\n
\"It's impossible not to pay supporters. We also have to pay
\nfor sound systems and transportation,\" Heriyadi, a journalist,
\nsaid.<\/p>",
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