North Sulawesi journalists to contest 2004 elections
North Sulawesi journalists to contest 2004 elections
Jongker Rumteh, The Jakarta Post, Manado, North Sulawesi
Given the important role of the media in the general election, several political parties in North Sulawesi province have recruited journalists as legislative candidates to contest in the upcoming general election.
Among the political parties in the province that have recruited journalists are the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI), the Pioneers' Party and the Concern for the National Functional Party (PKPB).
PPDI's North Sulawesi central board of executives, for example, has appointed Jurical Antameng, a correspondent with the Jakarta-based Trust magazine in Manado, as the party's legislative candidate to contest a seat in the North Sulawesi Legislative Council. Jurical is currently secretary in PPDI's North Sulawesi chapter.
"I became a member of PPDI a long time ago, but became very active in the party only recently.
I have become very active, because I have topped the list of PPDI's legislative candidates for the provincial council," Jurical told The Jakarta Post.
Meanwhile, the Pioneers' Party nominated Alvein Gilingan, the chief editor of Porodisa Tabloid, as its legislative candidate for Manado Municipal Council.
Like Jurical, Alvein also topped the list of the Pioneers' Party's legislative candidates for the Manado council.
Alvein said that he was ready to compete with legislative candidates nominated by other political parties, although the political scene was a novelty for him.
"I am ready to demonstrate my substance before the public, for example, through public debate. Through public debate, the public can assess the quality of the legislative candidates," he said.
PPKB, the party that has nominated the daughter of former president Suharto, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, as its presidential candidate, does not want to be outshone by PPDI and the Pioneers' Party.
The party has nominated Iverdixon Tinungki, the chief editor of Tagonggong tabloid, as its legislative candidate for the North Sulawesi Legislative Council.
Like his fellow journalists, Iverdixon, who is a senior journalist, also topped the list of legislative candidates from the party.
Even the mighty Golkar Party has nominated a journalist as one of its legislative candidates. The party has recruited Jufry Suak, a correspondent for the Jakarta-based Suara Karya newspaper, to contest a seat in the North Sulawesi Legislative Council.
The chance for them to gain seats is wide open, as several journalists were able to gain legislative seats in the 1999 general election. They were, among others, Karim Sondokan, a former journalist with Cahaya Siang newspaper, Adi Palit, a former journalist with the Jakarta-based Suara Pembaruan afternoon daily and Jeffry Rawis, a former correspondent with the Jakarta-based Media Indonesia daily.