Central dominance foils selection of candidates

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

Several members of the Democratic Party's Bandarlampung branch executive board (DPC) are dejected, not because they lost in the direct regional leadership election but because their candidacy was not supported by the party's Central Executive Board (DPP). Even though they had gone through a tough selection process, they were rejected unconditionally by the DPP.

The DPP not only rejected the selected candidates, but required the DPC to conduct the selection all over again.

The party has selected three mayoral candidates and two nominees for vice mayor since the screening started two months ago.

A member of the party's DPP and also party coordinator for Lampung province, Sutan Bathoegana, said that the central executive board had not gone through the right mechanism by not involving the DPP in the selection process.

The decision, which was disclosed last week, has caused concern among the party's Regional Representatives Council (DPD), because after promising to facilitate the renomination process, there has been no directions from the DPP on selection guidelines for candidates.

Chairman of Bandarlampung Democratic Party's DPC, Gafriyanto, said that technical guidelines from the DPP were badly needed so that the selection conducted by the DPC would not be pointless and disappoint the mayoral candidates.

An important item included in the technical guidelines is the provision of full authority to the Team of Nine (a selection team consisting of the DPC, DPD and DPP) in appointing the candidates for regional heads of government.

Sutan Bathoegana said that the DPP would allow the DPC to recommend names for mayoral candidates, but the final decision would still be in the hands of the team.

"A difference in vision between the DPP and DPC is to be expected. I'm sure there'll be like ideas and it won't become much of a problem after we hold a meeting," he said.

The disappointment of the Democratic Party's DPC leaders in Bandarlampung shows how strong the central domination over those in the regions is. Party leaders at the central level may decide who they regard as suitable to run in the election, while regional leaders claim they are better informed about candidates they deem qualified to contest.

Other parties in Lampung face a similar situation, with Golkar being an exception.

Nearly all of its candidates in the five places holding the direct election on June 27 must be approved by Alzier Dianis Thabranie. Alzier is the chairman of Lampung's Golkar Regional Representatives Council who has recently returned to the fold after having jumped fence to PDI-P for the past three years. Alzier is a veteran politician and prominent figure in Lampung.

Despite having decided that one of the candidates (mayor or deputy mayor) should come from among the party members, the Golkar DPC has submitted a pair of candidates from outside the party, using Alzier as guarantor.

They are Sjachrazad Z.P., the former Bandarlampung municipal secretary and younger brother of Lampung governor Sjachroedin Z.P. and Rudy Syawal Sugiarto, an official at the Bandarlampung municipal administration.

Golkar DPP leaders had questioned their nomination, but due to Alzier's assurance that they were "the best", the DPP members eventually relented. An extravagant commemoration ceremony was held for the pair last week.

"Sjachrazad is an experienced bureaucrat and a native son of Lampung, while Rudy Syawal is a young man with potential of Javanese origin. If you want to garner the most votes, this is the most suitable pair," said Alzier, explaining why no Golkar members were nominated.

A political observer from Bandarlampung University, Jauhai Zailani, said that strong dominance from the central level had prevented political parties from selecting potential leaders for the regional government.

"This shows that none of the political parties have included their constituents in the selection process, but only those at the elite level. It means that the flow of money will end up in the pockets of the same people. The public will be constantly left out," said Zailani.