Parties solicit candidates

Parties solicit candidates

By May 4, the last day for registration of legislative
candidates, many parties were struggling to find candidates for
the House of Representatives (DPR) and regional council members.
As the time approached midnight, I received a telephone call from
an old friend in Semarang (from 1981 to 1983 I was regional
office head of a government agency in Semarang). He asked me
whether I was willing to be put forward by one of the political
parties as a legislative candidate representing Central Java. I
asked him whether the party had many supporters. He was not sure.
I declined the offer because if they registered me as a candidate
and I was not chosen, what was the use? It would only embarrass
me, and I still care for my name. Besides, I was afraid that if I
agreed to the proposal, I would be asked to contribute money for
the party.

Women candidates are very much in demand, because parties plan
to propose at least 20 percent women candidates. Actually, women
with the potential to become legislative candidates are rather
rare. My wife (a graduate of a teachers' high school only, but
with experience in women's organizations) also received an offer
to be a legislative candidate by a party established by an elite
group of former government officials. My wife also rejected the
offer, saying she had no experience in politics. She would rather
be active in the community and in social work. I was also
concerned that a party contribution would be asked of her. As we
are both retirees and are not rich, we must look for any extra
income to make ends meet. Although the salary of a legislator is
big -- about Rp 5 million -- there is no certainty whether one
will be elected. And just to register as a candidate costs money.

Perhaps many people have had similar experiences to us.
However, many other people want to get seats in the DPR. They are
even willing to pay a great amount of money to their party. It is
said that one well-known party which is already in the present
DPR charges Rp 100 million for candidates wishing to become
legislators in the DPR. Is that true, Pak Hamzah Haz?

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta