Candidates get serious on the foueth day

Candidates get serious on the foueth day

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Unlike the first three days of campaigning marked by frivolous
jokes and dangdut contests, the fourth day on Sunday saw
candidates for the newly established Regional Representatives
Council (DPD) getting a bit more serious by setting out their
platforms and vowing to bring about change for impoverished
citizens.

In Jakarta, candidate Marwan Batubara started his first day of
campaigning in Sumantri Brojonegoro Sports stadium in Kuningan,
South Jakarta, emphasizing that it was crucial that there was an
improvement in the standard of living for blue-collar workers.

"First and foremost, the basic minimum wage in Jakarta needs
to be hiked," he told a cheering crowd consisting mostly of young
men and women clad in Muslim attire.

The minimum wage for Jakarta is less than Rp 800,000 (US$90).

A former employee of state-owned telecommunication firm PT
Indosat, Marwan also said dropped the bombshell that if he were
elected as a DPD member, he would strive to take back all the
company assets that have been sold to "foreigners" in the
privatization drive over the last few years.

In mid-December 2002, the government sold a 41.9 percent stake
in Indosat to Singapore Technologies Telemedia (STT).

"I resigned from my secure position at Indosat because I
believe that a state company should not surrendered to
foreigners," he argued.

In Yogyakarta, Subardi, one of the candidates for the special
province, told hundreds of his supporters in Sayegan subdistrict,
Sleman regency, that he would fight to maintaining the special
administration status for the resource poor province.

"Yogyakarta must retain its privilege as a special region.
However, it has to be within the confines of the Unitary State of
Indonesia (NKRI)," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

The candidate also pledged to create more jobs should he be
elected a council member.

The amended Constitution mandates the establishment of the
DPD. Each of the country's 32 provinces will elect four council
members. Along with the 550 members at the House of
Representatives (DPR), who may not necessarily be directly
elected, they will form the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

In the capital of Central Java, Semarang, Budi Santoso, a
candidate from the province, and owner of the largest local
newspaper Suara Merdeka , marked his first appearance in public
by performing the usual campaign practice of distributing flyers
bearing his face and number and putting up posters in a number of
strategic spots in town.

Budi deployed his employees to distribute his campaign
paraphernalia.

Despite his media empire, the tycoon, however, was still in
need of a helping hand from a local public figure. Budi had
solicited support from Ki Enthus Susmono, a renowned dalang
(puppeteer) to help him deliver his campaign message.