Abdul-Ilham: A struggle since the beginning

Abdul-Ilham: A struggle since the beginning

Abdul Wahab Abidin and running mate Ilham Wijaya have trod a long
and difficult road to be named the Depok mayoral candidates
representing the Democratic Party.

The pair first had to compete with Gaduh Sunu Sumantri and
Agung Wicaksono, who also claimed to have support from the
party's central executive board.

After a tough party campaign, the Depok General Elections
Commission (KPU Depok) picked their names instead of Gaduh-Agung,
who failed to provide any documents verifying their candidacy
from the Democratic Party, the second-largest in Depok after the
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

According to the regulations, to be eligible each pair of
regional candidates must receive support from at least one
political party, which needs to have won at least 15 percent of
the votes in the last legislative election.

However, some in the Democratic Party, it seems, still harbor
resentment over the Abdul-Ilham party win. During the kick-off
for the campaign period on June 9, Depok party chairman
Rintisyanto questioned the validity of the candidacies of all
pairs, none of whom had announced their wealth to public.

With that issue still unresolved, the pair began to
disseminate a range of programs to improve Depok.

For education, they are offering subsidies to students from
low-income families and scholarships for high-achieving students
and teachers to study abroad.

They have also pledged to renovate all schools in poor
condition and to establish libraries in all schools that lack
them.

Their cultural policy includes regularly organized festivals
of Depok traditional arts and awards for those who have worked to
preserve local culture.

Their economic plan includes policies to increase municipal
revenues, with strict monitoring and enforcement of tax and other
fee collections, along with other programs to exploit the natural
resources in the area, expand markets abroad, and attract
investors to the city.

The pair also has touted a bylaw they say will increase job
opportunities for local people in city businesses.

Heeding the popular demand for a crack-down on graft, the pair
pledge to enforce tough administrative sanctions on corrupt
bureaucrats and ensure they are brought to justice.

Abdul-Ilham have invited city residents to send suggestions,
complaints and other information to a municipal post office box.

Political reforms include ensuring the Depok city council
conforms to international rules governing local administrations,
and making the council more transparent by allowing the public in
to monitor council sessions.

Abdul Wahab Abidin was born in Depok on June 2, 1948.
Recent education: Northern California Global University in 2004.
Organizations: The Depok chapter of Indonesian Ulema Council
(MUI) and the advisory board of the Betawi Youth Communication
Forum (Forkabi).

Ilham Wijaya was born in Jakarta on Jan. 3, 1967.
Recent education: Jakarta administration's education and training
center for subdistrict head candidates in 2002.
Organization: The Indonesian Civil Servant Corps (Korpri).