Mayor candidates going extra mile to win support<\/p>\n
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung<\/p>\n
Traffic is heavy at Tugu Adipura traffic circle in
\nBandarlampung's city center. Public transportation drivers slow
\ntheir vehicles -- not to make way for the traffic police, but to
\nget some of the freebies distributed by dozens of Sjachrazad Z.P
\nand Rudy Syawal's campaign team members.<\/p>\n
Each package distributed on behalf of the candidates for
\nBandarlampung mayor and deputy major from the Golkar Party,
\ncomprises rice, sugar, coffee and instant noodles, and were
\ngreeted with smiles from the drivers.<\/p>\n
\"Not bad, I can take it home to my family and have coffee with
\nfriends,\" said Syarofi, a 25-year-old public minivan driver.<\/p>\n
On that particular day, the campaign team managed to
\ndistribute around 200 packages.<\/p>\n
After causing a traffic jam for almost an hour and half, they
\nmoved to another intersection to give away the handouts.<\/p>\n
Campaign field coordinator, Gurmewa, claimed that apart from
\npromoting the two candidates, it was an altruistic move that they
\nhoped could ease the drivers' burdens.<\/p>\n
On another day recently, Sjachrazad Z.P. and Rudy Syawal
\ndistributed such packages themselves.<\/p>\n
They also visited the Tugu Tanjungkarang market where they
\ngave away some 150 packages of food to pedicab drivers, and
\nvisited other pedicab groups in the city. That was followed by
\nvisits to motorcycle taxi groups with similar handouts given.<\/p>\n
Apart from individual donations to the party, the candidates
\nalso receive assistance from Golkar's women's association and the
\nEnggal Big Family, a group of indigenous Lampung people from
\nEnggal subdistrict.<\/p>\n
\"We pedicab drivers are ready to help Pak Acan (Sjachrazad
\npopular name) win the election and become the Bandarlampung
\nmayor,\" claimed a 37-year-old pedicab driver Mardi.<\/p>\n
Since the pair registered with Bandarlampung Election
\nCommittee, they have been regularly spotted at public places,
\ndistributing many things -- ranging from food and cash to Islamic
\nprayer books and headscarves for Muslim women at mosques.<\/p>\n
A member of prayer groups at the Ukhuwah Islamiyah mosque in
\nKedamaian subdistrict, East Tanjungkarang, claimed that
\nSjachrazad distributed envelopes consisting of Rp 20,000 each to
\nthe group's members.<\/p>\n
\"Of course when they're given money and headscarves, the women
\nwill be happy. But when they're given the prayer books, although
\nthey will take it, they usually complain, because they already
\nhave plenty of them back home,\" said one 42-year-old woman, Mrs.
\nAsmadi, a resident of Kedamaian subdistrict.<\/p>\n
\"Especially when the cover of the prayer book has the picture
\nof the candidate ... as if they are already dead,\" she laughed.
\nSuch prayer books are usually handed out at prayer rituals after
\na Muslim dies.<\/p>\n
Another candidate for Bandarlampung mayor, Irfan Nuranda
\nDjafar, who receives support from the National Mandate Party and
\nthe United Development Party, claimed he would not distribute
\nfood or money to win support.<\/p>\n
Instead, he prefers to sign a \"political contract\" with
\nresidents, who want the city to develop further.<\/p>\n
\"Many groups of residents want me to come. They promise to
\nvote for me if I can develop their villages. If (the requests
\nare) realistic, I'll sign a pledge with them,\" Irfan said.<\/p>\n
He claimed that since he registered with the election
\ncommittee, he has spent most of time with his supporters.<\/p>\n
\"I usually get out of the house by 8 a.m. and don't get back
\nhome until 3 a.m.,\" said the former regent of East Lampung.<\/p>\n
Another candidate, noted Muslim cleric Abdul Hakim, a
\nlegislator who regularly gives sermons at Bandarlampung mosques,
\nspends most of his time inviting residents to pray in mosques.<\/p>\n
Recently, while preaching at a mosque in Gulak-Galik
\nsubdistrict, Telukbetung Utara district, Abdul, who is backed by
\nthe Prosperous Justice Party, explained why residents ought to
\nvote for religious, clean, honest candidates, who will consider
\nthe people's interests.<\/p>\n
Despite some of the potentially problematic campaign
\nactivities by the candidates, no action has been taken yet by the
\nBandarlampung election committee or the supervision committee.<\/p>\n
A member of the Bandarlampung supervision committee, Riko
\nFirmansyah, said no action had been taken because the candidates'
\nactions so far were not being used as a way to spell out their
\nmissions or make promises. Their campaigning, he explained, was
\nonly considered a way to introduce themselves to the public.<\/p>\n
But other prospective voters have their own idea. Jamal (32),
\na resident of Kedamaian subdistrict, claimed he was not taking
\nthe handouts very seriously.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone claims to be number one and they all say they will
\nimprove people's welfare. As a poor person, I'll take it if
\nanyone gives me food or a t-shirt. But to whom I'll vote for,
\nit's a secret,\" said the chicken noodle soup vendor.<\/p>",
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