City couple to be elected Saturday

City couple to be elected Saturday

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty young men and women will find out on
Saturday night whether they will win the coveted title of Abang
dan None Jakarta (Mr. and Miss Jakarta) which might lead them to
the road of fame, at least in the capital.

The head of the Jakarta Tourism Office, Parlindungan
Hutabarat, said the event, a tradition here since 1971 will be
broadcasted live and will hopefully "cool the tense situation in
the capital (during the Annual Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly) and increase community appreciation in the
city."

The grand final at the Jakarta Convention Center in Central
Jakarta will feature traditional dancing and other entertainment.

Fifteen couples have been selected from 729 contestants from
across the city. Their intelligence and personality were
monitored from July 30 to Aug. 5.

Arief Rachman, an educator and a jury member in charge of the
religious and character aspect of selection, said contestants
were screened through discussions, individual presentation, and
also knowledge of native Jakartans' (Betawi) attire and customs.

He said the criteria for selecting finalists also included
knowledge of city tourism, communication ability, foreign
language competence and characteristics compatible with their
responsibilities should they win.

The Abang dan None contest is usually held in conjunction with
the celebration of Jakarta's anniversary, which falls on June 22,
and the country's Independence Day on Aug. 17.

The contest began in 1968 when then governor Ali Sadikin
decided that he needed a "None" to help him in protocol tasks,
such as greeting city visitors. In 1971, the city administration
decided to find her a male partner.

Prizes usually include tickets to go abroad, cash and prizes
from sponsors. (07)