'Dekel' has yet to meet the expectations of the people

'Dekel' has yet to meet the expectations of the people

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Subdistrict councils or dewan kelurahan (dekel) were established
throughout Jakarta to enable the public's participation in the
management of their subdistrict. However, one year after its
inception, the council has yet to perform as promised, according
several residents.

Many of the council members were even reportedly involved in
graft cases and other irregularities in managing the city
administration's projects. Most of the irregularities usually
took place in low-income subdistricts where the people were not
well educated.

Tamsir, a resident of Bidara Cina kelurahan in the mayoralty
of East Jakarta, complained on Monday about the role of the
council, saying that they were too ignorant to accommodate the
needs of the people.

"During the flood they just sat doing nothing at the
subdistrict office, instead of helping the residents. We know
that it's our fault for choosing improper candidates, but we had
no choice as some of the more prominent figures in my
neighborhood refused to be elected due to their jobs or other
time constraints," said Tamsir, who is chief of neighborhood unit
(RW) 11.

He also added that it was difficult to find a qualified
council member, as the trusted figures among the residents had
already served as leaders, either in the lowest level community
unit (RT, which includes from 20 to 50 families) or the higher
level RW, which includes 10 or more RTs. There are 267
subdistricts or kelurahan in the five mayoralties of Jakarta.

Members of the council are elected by the residents
themselves. But any chief of a neighborhood unit is not eligible
to be elected as a member of a subdistrict council.

The council is also expected to control the subdistrict's
performance.

In Bidara Cina subdistrict, most of the residents are poor
people who live along the banks of the Ciliwung river. They
mostly make a living by selling food and drink as street vendors.

The council's chief, Muhammad Sobar, claimed that the
council's task was already hard and that the job was new for the
members, who were still learning their roles.

"I admit that there is negative perception from the residents,
I wish they could sit on my chair for a while to experience our
trouble. There are also rumors that we have been siphoning off
the aid money intended for the flood victims," he grumbled.

Similar complaints of the councillor's performance were also
made by Asmarih, the subdistrict chief of Kebon Baru, South
Jakarta, saying that the council was only a burden to the city
administration.

"The councillors do not have the slightest initiative in
empowering the residents. Their job is useless since the
neighborhood chief could easily handle their job. So what are the
councillors for?" asked Asmarih.

Gita, a resident of Jl. Asem Baris, Kebon Baru subdistrict,
said that he did not know the council members. The 55-year-old
man only knew his neighborhood unit chief, whose letter of
recommendation is needed for processing an ID card.

The council was inaugurated on Jan. 19, 2001 based on the City
Bylaw No.5/2000. The body consists of seven to 10 members,
depending on the number of neighborhood units in each
subdistrict.

The council members, who now have a monthly salary of Rp
650,000 (more than US$65) each, are democratically elected by
each of the subdistrict's residents. The election on the forming
of the council is the utmost example for the public to learn.

The chosen candidates from several units of the subdistrict
are later convened to choose their chief and deputy. A council
member has a term of five years, and is eligible to be elected
for another term.

The council is only equipped with an operational budget of Rp
500,000 (US$50) per month and a transportation fund of only Rp
200,000 per month.