Up for election 2004<\/p>\n
Along with voting for political parties and legislative
\ncandidates in the House of Representatives (DPR) and City\/Regency
\nCouncil (DPRD) on April 5, voters will also select candidates for
\nthe new Regional Representatives Council (DPD). The DPD will
\nconsist of four members from each of the 32 provinces, who
\ntogether with the 550 elected members of the DPR will make up the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR). This is the seventh of a
\n13-part series profiling the 38 Jakarta candidates for the DPD by
\nThe Jakarta Post's Bambang Nurbianto.<\/p>\n
GERSONIUS R. SARAGIH<\/p>\n
Candidacy number: 19<\/p>\n
Place\/date of birth: Jakarta\/April 30, 1964<\/p>\n
Education: University of Santo Thomas, the Philippines<\/p>\n
Organizational experience:<\/p>\n
- Jayabaya Christian Alliance
\n- Jakarta International Louhan Club
\n- Karya Youth Association<\/p>\n
Past and current jobs:
\n- Assistant general manager of PT Aiwa Indonesia<\/p>\n
- Director of PT Hosanna Mobilindo
\n- Marketing director of PT Grasia Media Utama Insurance
\n- Lecturer<\/p>\n
The DPD will be the most legitimate institution representing
\nthe people because its members will be directly elected by the
\nvoters. That is why I accepted my candidacy.<\/p>\n
However, the current law does not give significant authority
\nto the DPD. Lawmakers are still reluctant to hand over any of
\ntheir authority to the DPD because they want to maintain the
\nstatus quo.<\/p>\n
My top priority is to get more authority for the DPD, which
\ncan be done by revising the law on the body. Next on the list is
\njobs creation, improved public transportation, affordable
\neducation and a solution to the annual flooding.<\/p>\n
Jobs creation is very important. With about one million people
\nout of work, we must attract more investors. This, however, is
\ndifficult because investors are burdened with numerous taxes.
\nMany investors have even relocated their factories to other
\ncountries. We do not want any more companies to leave the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
NUKMAN MUHASYIM
\nCandidacy number: 20<\/p>\n
Place\/date of birth: Jakarta\/Feb. 12, 1939<\/p>\n
Education: Jakarta Islamic University<\/p>\n
Organizational experience:
\n- Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) youth group<\/p>\n
- NU's Anshor youth wing
\n- Betawi Assembly (Bamus Betawi)
\n- Several political parties<\/p>\n
Past and current jobs:
\n- Teacher<\/p>\n
- City councillor<\/p>\n
If elected, my first concern will be security in the capital.
\nThe city administration has not seriously addressed this issue.
\nPeople feel insecure whenever they are out on the streets,
\nparticularly at night.<\/p>\n
The source of the problem is the administration's failure to
\ncontrol the high rate of urbanization. This city needs a
\nregulation on urbanization to minimize the flow of people from
\nother areas coming into Jakarta.<\/p>\n
My second priority will be the empowerment of the Betawi
\n(native Jakartans), to allow them to represent this city in many
\ninstitutions, including the DPD. This is in line with Law No.
\n22\/1999 on regional autonomy, which gives locals more
\nopportunities to take an active role in development.<\/p>\n
Law enforcement, poverty elimination and affordable education
\nare other issues that will also be priorities. On education, the
\nConstitution rules that the government must allocate 20 percent
\nof the budget for this sector, but so far it has been reluctant
\nto do so.<\/p>\n
YETTY W. MUALIM
\nCandidacy number: 21<\/p>\n
Place\/date of birth: Jakarta\/Feb. 2, 1961<\/p>\n
Education: University of Indonesia<\/p>\n
Organizational experience:
\n- Several student organizations<\/p>\n
- Family Welfare Movement (PKK)<\/p>\n
Past and current jobs:
\n- Lecturer<\/p>\n
I believe I can help people by becoming a DPD member. I have
\ntaken part in many social activities to raise funds to help the
\nunlucky ones. Besides, I already have the support of my husband
\nand children.<\/p>\n
My first priority is to push the government to spend more
\nmoney to resolve social problems, particularly related to
\norphans, the elderly and the poor. Since the economic crisis hit
\nour country in 1997, the number of poor people has increased
\nsignificantly.<\/p>\n
I am also interested in other social problems like drug abuse
\nand sex outside of marriage, problems that affect large numbers
\nof our young people. This is very dangerous because young people
\nare the future leaders of this country. I don't think our current
\nleaders are taking sufficient action to overcome these problems.<\/p>\n
How can we expect a better future if our potential leaders are
\nalready contaminated by drugs and degraded morals?<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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