PDI Perjuangan wins support of urban poor

JAKARTA (JP): The Urban Poor Consortium will coordinate the capital's poverty stricken, including becak (pedicab) drivers, to vote for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in order to win at least one seat on City Council in the June 7 election, an activist said Thursday.

Wardah Hafidz, head of the non-governmental organization, said that if it won the seat, PDI Perjuangan would give in return a written guarantee to allow the operation of pedicabs in Jakarta again.

The pedicabs are banned from operating in the capital in line with City Ordinance No. 11/1988, which designates Jakarta as a pedicab-free area.

"Why only pedicab drivers? I am promising much, much more than 20,000 votes... I will get scavengers, the very poor, the ones who have been evicted out of their homes and are living on the streets, to vote for that one major party," Wardah told The Jakarta Post at PDI Perjuangan's headquarters on Jl. Lenteng Agung in South Jakarta.

A seat on City Council is equivalent to 30,000 votes.

Along with 15 heads of becak driver organizations across the capital, Wardah met with Alex Litaay, the secretary-general of the party, to discuss the deal at the party's headquarters.

When asked why she approached PDI Perjuangan among the five major parties, she said that it was the drivers' wishes.

"Besides, the National Mandate Party (PAN) said it would give us until May 11 to negotiate a deal. The National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP) are too busy discussing lists of legislative candidates."

Rustam, a becak driver of Kwitang, Central Jakarta, told Alex that the drivers were ready to give PDI Perjuangan their votes.

"But, when PDI Perjuangan wins the election, it must revoke City Ordinance No. 11/1988 and let us work freely," Rustam said.

Alex said that PDI Perjuangan believed, among other things, in the voices of wong cilik (the small one).

"We will win this election struggle together. If the party is elected, it will do something to revise the ordinance," Alex told the drivers.

After a 15-minute discussion with Alex, Wardah informed reporters that she promised Megawati Soekarnoputri, head of the party, will "seriously consider" the negotiation.

"Before May 11, I should receive a confirmation about the deal. If it comes through, Mbak Mega will sign the guarantee at a big ceremony in front of thousands of the poor, including becak drivers." (ylt)