Council hopefuls try to outshine parties
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Candidates of the newly established Regional Representatives Council (DPD) must compete alongside the 24 political parties in attracting people to attend their campaigns -- a difficult mission, as they must organize their campaigns independently of parties.
Their campaign strategy differs greatly, from using public toilets as campaign vehicles to offering expensive meals at a five-star hotel, to promising that they would stop the transmigration of people from Java to other provinces, because only transmigrants -- not locals -- benefited from the costly program.
Taufiq Rachman, a DPD aspirant from Jakarta, distributed stickers bearing his photograph and candidacy number to several public toilets in Tanah Abang textile market, Central Jakarta, and at an intersection in Cempaka Putih, also in Central Jakarta.
"One tends to neglect the fact that thousands of people use public toilets each day. That is why I chose the facilities as a vehicle to reach out to potential voters," Taufiq told The Jakarta Post.
Taufiq is campaigning for the empowerment of street vendors and small and medium enterprises.
To raise interest, his campaign team has prepared a lucky draw, with a television or an electric fan in store for those with the winning sticker.
Each of the country's 32 provinces will be represented by four DPD members, who are elected directly by the voters. The 500 House of Representatives members are indirectly elected as in the past, as voters select parties as well as a candidate. The winning parties will choose their preferred legislators if no single candidate wins a majority.
Pontjo Sutowo, another DPD candidate from Jakarta, managed to lure a significant number of potential voters -- thanks primarily to a luxurious campaign.
Pontjo gathered at least 500 supporters at a club at the five- star Hilton Hotel -- which he owns -- and plied them with lavish food and drinks.
Several TV soap opera actresses were also present.
In Padang, Anwar Ali Akbar vowed that he would demand that the government stop the transmigration program from Java to other islands, as the program had caused the country's disintegration.
"The government provided facilities to the transmigrants. Local people, however, never received anything," he said.
In Banda Aceh, no DPD candidate put in a showing, although the Martial Law administrator had provided all necessary facilities for public campaigns.
In Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Dato Erdin Odang, a DPD candidate, invited sexy dangdut singer Anissa Bahar to entertain his potential voters. He himself did not talk much, saying that people would not listen to him.
Meanwhile, the candidate made an appeal: "You must vote for the best man."