JP/8/DPD1

PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES

This is the first of a 13-part series of profiles of candidates for the Jakarta Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

Bambang Nurbianto The Jakarta Post Jakarta

TAUFIQ RACHMAN Candidacy number: 1 Place/date of birth: Jakarta/Oct. 15, 1958 Latest education: Respati Indonesia University (Urindo) Experience in organizations: - Betawi People Group (POB) - Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI) - Pancasila Youth Group (PP) Past and current jobs: - Journalist - Director of CV Sari Karya - Director of Zutakiplayrama Corp.

Regional autonomy is still half-heartedly implemented by the central government, as it does not have the political will yet to hand authority over to the regional administrations.

For example, the government is still reluctant to allow the city to manage the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan and the ex-Kemayoran airport, part of which is now used as the Jakarta Fairground.

Many economic resources have not been handed over to the regions either. Some taxes are still managed by the government.

If I am elected, I will take this issue to the People's Consultative Assembly. Another issue that I will focus on is the empowerment of street vendors and small and medium enterprises.

WIDODO SUPARNO Candidacy number: 2 Place/date of birth: Surakarta, Central Java/May 2, 1940 Latest education: State Administration Institute (LAN) Experience in organizations: - The Indonesian Nationalist Student Movement (GSNI) - The Indonesian Nationalist University Student Movement (GMNI) Past and Current jobs: - Rector of Respati Indonesia University (Urindo) - Owner of PT Respati Manis (livestock, plantations and fishery) - Owner of educational institutes, from kindergarten level to university level.

Education and health will be my priorities if I am elected as a DPD member. I believe that Indonesia's poor performance, in terms of human resources, is due to a lack of attention to both sectors.

Only with a better education system, will we be able to improve the quality of human resources. We must also address health problems seriously.

By having qualified human resources, we can provide competitive products and services compared to those of other countries, on both the local and foreign markets.

I have given serious attention to education and health since the beginning (of my career). Apart from establishing Urindo, I have also established two colleges focusing on nutrition and public health (and the training of) midwives and paramedics, in Yogyakarta and Tasikmalaya, West Java.

PONTJO SUTOWO Candidacy number: 3 Place/date of birth: Palembang, South Sumatra/Aug. 17, 1950 Latest education: The Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Experience in organizations: - Indonesian Young Businessmen Association - Indonesian Hotel and Restaurants Association - People's Consultative Assembly Past and current jobs: - President director of PT Adiguna Shipyard - Managing director of PT Nugra Santana - President director of PT Nugra Santana - President director of PT Indobuildco

The discharge of the Interest Group faction from the People's Consultative Assembly is one of my reasons for participating in the DPD election. The new policy (to discharge the faction) means that many groups, particularly the minority, will have no representative in the Assembly.

I am very active in tourism, which contributes significantly to the country, but we don't have any representatives (in the Assembly). I believe that DPD can indirectly take over the Interest Group faction tasks.

Another issue that must be addressed is the development of human resources. Many countries that have seriously attended to the development of their human resources have advanced, compared to those relying on natural resources only.

Therefore, we have to address human-resource development, including facilitating the poor.