Candidates exploit race during campaign

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In this ethnically diverse country, the ideal of national unity is an important way to peace. However, a little digging into one's roots doesn't hurt either, especially for the aspiring candidates in this city of migrants: Jakarta.

Singer Vivi Effendy appeals to her people's Betawi roots, the native Jakartans who often feel marginalized; meanwhile, Hanan Soeharto, of Chinese descent, has his face posted all over areas where Chinese Indonesians are predominate; and the Batak language of the banners promoting Poltak Situmorang, is only understandable to those from his home province, North Sumatra.

They are among 38 aspiring candidates who contest the four seats of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) representing Jakarta province. Each of the country's 32 provinces will have only four DPD members. Its powers will include recommending laws to the legislature. DPD candidates are not party-based and the body has no precedent in the nation's history, coming into existence following the recently amended 1945 Constitution.

The 38 candidates for Jakarta include a considerable number of the city's minorities -- 10 are Betawis and four are ethnically Chinese.

The candidates asserted on Friday they would not provoke sectarianism in garnering support. Ethnicity used to be shunned, especially during the 32-year rule of Soeharto ending in 1998.

Vivi, a popular dangdut singer of the 1970s, said that she only brought up her Betawi ethnicity in her campaign "because I was born and raised here."

"Furthermore, Betawi people only account for 20 percent of the capital's total population, which I think (by itself) would be insufficient support for me," she said. She said she had campaigned to residents from many ethnicities.

However, Vivi's 20 percent would mean 1.5 million people if one goes by the official "night time" population figure of the city minus the commuters. So Vivi would have reached out to a fair share of the population when she addressed an applauding audience, "For quite a long time the Betawi people have suffered from (negative attitudes) of people from outside Jakarta. They never really cared about us, the Betawis. We have become aliens in our home."

Candidate Hanan Soeharto, a lawyer by training, said the large number of ethnic Chinese in the capital was only one of many reasons why he decided to run for the DPD.

"With a little helping hand from God, I could be elected as a DPD member with a simple majority if all Chinese here cast their votes for me," said Hanan.

In his campaign, Hanan has staged the Chinese traditional lion dance, which was banned during the 32-rule of former president Soeharto administration.

Hanan vowed that should he be elected, he would do his utmost to end discrimination against the Chinese people. However, he was quick to add, "I have also reached out to other ethnic and religious groups, and disenfranchised citizens" such as victims of eviction.

Poltak Situmorang, the candidate with a Batak background born in Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra, also insists he is running not only to represent his own ethnic group.

When asked about whether he was taking into account the large number of Batak people living in Jakarta, the 44-year-old candidate raised his voice: "Your question is irrelevant to the current social conditions. We should promote unity regardless of our ethnicity."