Failed gubernatorial nominees try to halt election process
Failed gubernatorial nominees try to halt election process
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As many as 24 gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates
who failed to proceed to the next round of the election are
threatening to stop the ongoing election process, saying it is
not being conducted democratically.
The failed candidates, led by playwright Ratna Sarumpaet,
visited the City Council on Friday, warning that if the election
committee and the City Council ignored their demands they would
take action, including organizing demonstrations.
Ratna said not all of the candidates were invited by the
factions on the City Council to take part in the election
process, including coming in for interviews to explain their
platforms and visions for the city.
"We have tried to tell them about our aspirations through
peaceful means. But if they do not listen to us, it will be easy
for us to mobilize a thousand people to occupy this building,"
Ratna said at the City Council on Friday.
As many as 72 people were registered as gubernatorial
candidates and 47 others as vice gubernatorial candidates. The
election committee has so far selected 14 pairs of gubernatorial
and vice gubernatorial candidates.
The selected candidates are now in the process of presenting
their visions and platforms to the City Council.
But political analysts said the platforms of the candidates
were not the main considerations in the electoral process.
Rather, they said, horse-trading and money politics would play
the most prominent roles in the gubernatorial election.
The chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum, Asas Tigor
Nainggolan said some selected candidates gave Rp 250 million to
City Council factions willing to shortlist them for the election.
A reliable source in the City Council said money politics had
taken place since early in the selection process.
Eleven pairs of candidates at maximum and two pairs at minimum
will take part in the gubernatorial election on Sept. 11.
Most of the candidates who failed to advance to the next round
of the election are unknown to the public. These failed
candidates have formed an organization called the Jakarta
Governor and Vice Governor Forum.
The threat to try and block the election process comes rather
belatedly, only after they failed to be shortlisted as candidates
and the selected candidates have spent the week outlining their
visions and missions.
Not all of those who failed to be shortlisted as candidates
have joined the effort to hinder the election process. These
include noted urban planner Marco Kusumawijaya, noted lawyer
Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Harun Al
Rasyid, senior politician Ridwan Saidi and pedicab driver
Rasdullah.
Ratna and other disappointed candidates were received at the
City Council by several legislators, led by the chairman of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction,
Agung Imam Soemanto.
However, Agung and the other councillors did not respond to
the demands of Ratna's group.
Agung, however, said he would discuss the results of their
meeting with City Council leaders.
Ratna said that on Monday the group would return to the City
Council building and demand to meet with Council leaders.