'Governor not elected on ethnic basis'

The gubernatorial election may still be three months away, but people have begun discussing the candidates. One of the main issues is whether the next governor should be a Betawi (native Jakartan) despite the city's populace being a melting pot of various ethnic groups. Some people share their opinions with The Jakarta Post.

Reni is a 27-year-old shop assistant who works on Jl. Gajah Mada, Central Jakarta. She was born here although her parents are from Lampung. She lives in the Pecenongan area, Central Jakarta.

I don't think the Jakarta governor must be a Betawi. I disagree with the idea of electing a governor based on ethnicity. It's too biased.

Of course it's OK to have a Betawi as the next governor as long as he or she is benevolent, honest and does not corrupt. He or she must also pay attention to the poor.

It's really important that our next governor has a good track record. That's what we want.

Amarullah Asbah, 57, is a Betawi and councillor from the Golkar Party.

I'm afraid that if a Betawi was to lead the city, other Betawi people would ask for "projects" because they would feel that the governor owed them something for their support. I don't feel there is any Betawi who is "culturally" ready to become a governor.

It's not really an important issue whether the governor is a Betawi or not. We're talking about the capital where many people from various parts of the country live.

In a modern era like now, we should not think about anything that could polarize us.

Bernardus Fitri Widhiyanto, 28, was born in Semarang and is an employee at a private firm in North Jakarta. He has lived in Jakarta for seven years.

I think it would be narrow-minded to insist that the next governor of Jakarta is a Betawi. Whoever the governor is, he or she must be able to accommodate the aspirations and expectations of Jakarta's residents.

We must remember that Jakarta, as a metropolis, is inhabited by people from various cultural backgrounds.

What concerns me is if the next governor is a Betawi, will he or she be able to maintain all the diversity without any narrow- mindedness?

Besides, we must also consider Jakarta as the capital city of Indonesia. It means that Jakarta is one of the most significant indicators for the international community to assess the country's situation.

Afriadie, 24, is half Javanese and half Betawi. He works as a cameraman at a private television station.

Everyone deserves the same opportunity to become a governor, no matter whether that person is a Betawi or not.

I personally think the Betawi people have yet to meet the qualified human resources standards. Most of them are not ready to be leaders, particularly a governor. No prominent achievements have been made so far. A credible leader has yet to emerge from the Betawi community.

However, I really hope the next governor is a civilian, instead of a military officer.

We should vote for a civilian candidate. It's time to show the capability of a civilian. -- JP