DPD picks reach out to the people in Jakarta
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Three days into the election campaign on Saturday, candidates for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) visited, and talked and sang with the people in an attempt to win their votes.
Bambang Warih Koesoema, a non-governmental organization (NGO), activist visited Utan Kayu, Kramat and Manggari, three eviction- prone districts in East Jakarta.
Departing from usual Indonesian campaign practice -- distributing T-shirts and holding rallies -- the former Golkar politician talked and chatted with the impoverished local residents, who occupy more than 400 houses in the area.
"How long have you been living here?," Bambang asked the members of one family. "We have been living here for about 40 years, but we've never got a title certificate."
In a house belonging to Toni, an elderly man who earns his living as a bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) driver, Bambang was reduced to silence when he heard that Toni had to pay Rp 40,000 (US$45) each day to rent the vehicle out of his daily earnings of around Rp 100,000.
After listening to the residents' problems, Bambang made a promise to train more activists on urban issues and to provide legal aid for the poor if the Jakarta administration tried to evict them. The administration is notorious for its often harsh eviction program.
Bambang also distributed pamphlets giving the address and a contact number for his NGO, the Uni Sosial Democrat (Unisosdem), so that people could lodge any complaints they might have.
Later, Bambang crossed the Ciliwung river by getek (traditional bamboo raft) and talked to several families living along the riverbanks. He shook hands with them and appeared relieved when he was told that no local people had been affected by dengue during the current nationwide epidemic that has killed more than 400 people.
DPD candidates are not party-based. They will be directly elected by the voters on election day -- April 5. This will be the first election to the newly established DPD.
Another candidate from Jakarta, Mooryati Soedibyo, preferred the more traditional "long-distance" campaign approach, i.e. making speeches and putting on dangdut (local pop music) shows.
The 75-year-old businesswoman danced on stage with her supporters and members of the audience after delivering her speech as a singer belted out Cucak Rowo, a well-known dangdut ditty.
In her speech, Mooryati said she would pay particular attention to a number of issues, including women's empowerment, health, education, waste, poverty, and flooding, if she was elected.
The government, she said, had not long neglected the health of expecting mothers. She promised that she would fight for improved maternity facilities, particularly for low income families.
Mooryati also was traveled to four other municipalities to press the flesh and meet the people.
"I am ready to fight for the interests of the Jakarta people, women's empowerment so that they can participate in all sectors, and the development of Jakarta as a good city to live in," she said in a speech before around 200 people, mostly wearing T- shirts emblazoned with her photograph.