Celebrities all doing their bit for democracy

JAKARTA (JP): Dangdut singer Machicha Mochtar is earnest in her support for Golkar, believes its presidential candidate B.J. Habibie is an "intelligent" enough man to bring progress to the nation, and that Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto has the necessary "fighting spirit" to help stabilize Indonesian politics if he was elected vice president.

"I support Golkar all the way," said the 29-year-old celebrity, who has so far taken part in 40 Golkar campaigns across the Indonesia.

"I know what this country needs. It needs to be jerked out of its poverty, with Habibie's help, and made tough, with Wiranto's help," Machicha said.

"Democracy will still take a very long time to come here. Let's just stop being so poor first... I cannot stand the sight of poor children singing stupid songs for money," she said.

Machicha is among a number of celebrities joining political parties in their campaigns.

Many theater, television and film artists in the capital believe their loyalty to certain political parties has a "logical" link to democracy. Some think the key to bringing about democratization is to educate the public about the meaning of people's sovereignty.

Veteran artist Leon Agusta, 61, said he believes that no political party in Indonesia now could build a nation on its own.

"The children of this nation should realize that they hold the hope, the people's sovereignty, in the palms of their hands," Leon said.

"The key in making them aware of this is nothing but education," he said.

"Out of the 48 political parties contesting the polls, only the National Mandate Party (PAN) accommodates pluralism," he said.

"PAN is for ethnic pluralism, it's for the pluralism of religions. Its keyword alone is anak bangsa (children of the nation), which unites all people, however big or small, coming from whichever religion, caste or creed," Leon said.

He explained that there were several political parties which used terminologies, phrases and names that gave impressions of "a broken people".

"Some parties give themselves labels such as... wong cilik (little people, a term used by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle). These words depict divisions among people," Leon said.

"The binding factor should be unity, at all costs."

On the other hand, musician and long-time Golkar cadre Dharma Orat Mangun's idea of democracy is getting people to contribute to a certain concept, and having it applied by the newly elected government.

The man who dreams of a ministry of arts and culture in the new government, with himself as minister, said that early this year the ruling party sent its cadres across the country to hold interviews with scholars, artists in many fields, and cultural observers on their opinions of such a ministry.

"The party has collected practical views and concepts that could be used to form new rules and regulations. This ministry dream of mine could one day come true," Dharma said.

"All of this is of course possible only because of the people the Golkar cadres have spoken with," he said.

Meanwhile, 41-year-old Hetty Koes Endang, who is media adviser and vice coordinator of the arts and culture board of the National Awakening Party (PKB), said she owed her support to PKB because she grew up with the teachings of the Muslim Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) organization.

"My entire family, everybody related to me, are from NU," Hetty said.

"If in the old days, NU had to acquire recognition via Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the United Development Party (PPP), today, NU has it's own party, namely PKB," she said.

"Why do I believe in Gus Dur (NU head Abdurrahman Wahid)? He fights to free the Indonesian masses from suffering and poverty. He is not doing this for his own interests, he fights for the people."

Hetty said she was amazed that even foreigners sought the advice of Abdurrahman, and said that only he was the "true link" between Indonesia and the "Western world". "Only Gus Dur can bring us into the new millennium, believe me."

Hetty explained that Muslim preacher Habib Ali, who speaks at monthly gatherings at the Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex where she lives, had urged her husband, Yusuf Faisal, to give his support for PKB.

"And we did. My husband is now at PKB's department for economics, finance and industry," Hetty said, laughing. She stressed that everybody should be allowed to participate in politics, including artists.

"Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan was himself an actor. The current Philippines President is an actor. So, why can't we artists play in politics?"

Actor Sultan Saladin, 50, said his entrance into the PPP party as a central figure in the arts and culture department had not been without struggle.

During the old regime of former president Soeharto, Sultan had once been blacklisted as a PPP activist.

"While other friends of mine, all PPP sympathizers, opted to join Golkar in 1987 to avoid harassment from Golkar, I became a PDI supporter," Sultan said, adding that he returned to PPP after Soeharto's resignation.

"Why? Since the very beginning, PDI and PPP were the parties which were always sidelined."

Sultan said that he believed that all PPP leaders could be depended upon to build a moral society.

"This does not mean that we will restrict democracy within such a society. This is only the stepping stone to building a free society with high morals," Sultan said.

"We will instill this kind of democracy in people... the freedom to act morally." (ylt)