Actress Nurul enters political jungle

T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta, tabita@cbn.net.id

It took three months before actress and activist Nurul Qomaril Arifin made up her mind to venture into politics.

"I want to make a change. I want my name to be written down in history," she told The Jakarta Post.

She made the statement full of confidence. She is a woman who believes in herself. "And of course, I believe in God."

She used to be told that politics was a dirty game and not appropriate for women, but Nurul was determined to disprove the stereotype.

The 2003 Electoral Law allows a quota of 30 percent for women representatives in the legislative body. And Nurul would not miss it. Women count for 51 percent of the country's population and 57 percent of eligible voters for the coming election are women. Currently, only nine percent of the 500 legislators are women.

"If in 2004, the percentage can increase to 18, and to 20 percent in 2009, that would be quite good," said Nurul, who is now in her final year at the School of Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia.

When Nurul, 37, enrolled at the university to study politics, she had no idea that she herself would become active in politics. The idea to study political science came from her journalist husband, Mayong Suryo Laksono.

"I said I wanted to study communication, and he said I could learn it from him. He asked why I did not major in politics. I thought, why not? So I took it. Just like that," she said.

Nurul was born in Bandung, the 10th child of 11. Her late father was a soldier, while her late mother was a homemaker. "My father was a community unit chief for 20 years. He had empathy for ordinary people, one thing I learned from him." As for her mother, it was the way she managed the big family with all the household problems, including the finances, that impressed Nurul.

When she was in the second year of high school, she won a modeling award, which became her ticket into the film industry. She considered herself an introvert, and she did not know how she could act so well. Was it because being an actress was a channel for her to express herself -- something she could not do at home? "Maybe," she said thoughtfully.

Graduating from high school, she decided to move to Jakarta to totally devote herself in the film industry instead of continuing her studies.

Nurul, who adores Robert de Niro and Judy Fosternot -- not just because of their acting skills but also their strong personality -- made her debut in Hati yang Perawan (The Virgin Heart) in 1984. She had already starred in 35 films and was nominated for the Piala Citra, the prestigious Indonesian film award, before the wide-screen film industry collapsed in the early 1990s. Like many other artists, she then moved on to soap operas (sinetron).

In 1997, she played in the TV film series Kupu-Kupu Ungu (Violet Butterfly) as a doctor who treats HIV/AIDS patients. The film inspired her to become an HIV/AIDS activist. The fact that HIV/AIDS can also affect "good" monogamous women brought her to the awareness that women needed to be empowered. And as Nurul learned about gender, she realized how weak the position of women was in the patriarchal society.

"I am a feminist, but not the radical kind. You see, I still need a man and children," said the mother of two.

Nurul, who likes Sundanese food and seafood and enjoys the works of John Grisham and Sidney Sheldon, is a Muslim, while her husband is a Catholic. But religion is no problem in their family.

What does she like the most in him?

"He is cool and handsome," she said proudly.

Even though the physical appearance is important, there are many other things that are more important, like intellectualism and self-confidence, she added. She believes that everyone has his or her own potential, which should be developed so that they come into oneself. Putting on heavy makeup will not do.

"I myself don't like to put on makeup. Even my lipstick lasts over a year."

Like Nurul, her husband is also a TV presenter. While Nurul hosts a program on geomancy, Mayong hosts one on movie reviews.

Just recently, a television gossip show reported that their marriage was in trouble. As a result, a producer who had long approached them for a family program called Nurul to withdraw the offer.

"The gossip is really harmful. My 12-year marriage is just fine. The secret? Just enjoy your marriage," she said.

Another thing Nurul likes about her husband is his support. Men should take part in the improvement of women's status, but what's more important is the women themselves, she says. The role of women in politics is paramount to pushing for the issuance of legislation and policies that would empower women.

With the support from many women activists and the Center for Electoral Reform (CETRO), Nurul finally decided to enter politics. But many were surprised, and even enraged, when she announced her determination to join Golkar.

She stresses that she didn't make the decision because her father was a Golkar executive. "I realize that Golkar had a negative image in the past. But the wish of many party members to redesign Golkar is praiseworthy, because I believe that everything changes in this world," she said.

"I am ready to take the risk. I realize that joining the party may make me lose business opportunities and even friends."

But what is behind her daring decision? "Idealism," she said.

And what does she offer?

"It's not money. But I have the brains and determination to make a change for the better."

Her long list of achievements testify that she has the intellectual capacity to take the political helm. Among them are the many awards that she received as an AIDS activist and a drug activist, and was named the Fun Fearless Female of 2002 by Cosmopolitan magazine. She was also selected by the Ford Foundation to represent Indonesia in the Asia-Pacific Festival Conference of Women in the Arts in the Philippines. Her most recent achievement is the acknowledgement by CETRO as a qualified legislator candidate.

"My biggest achievement is to become a mature person," she says with a smile.