PKS wants free education for elementary students

PKS wants free education for elementary students

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Emerging as a political party with some newfound clout after
garnering the most votes in the capital, the Prosperous Justice
Party (PKS) has promised that its councillors would strive to
promote free education -- at least at public elementary schools.

"Eliminating school fees at the elementary level will be our
first objective during the deliberation of the 2005 city budget
because it directly impacts people," the party's Jakarta branch
chairman Achmad Heryawan told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He added that, ideally, the city administration must be able
to provide free education for students of all public elementary
schools and junior high schools so that they can meet the
national nine-year education requirement.

Achmad admitted, however, that it would depend on the city's
financial state. If the budget is adequate, junior high school
students here must also get free education by 2006.

"We must begin to provide low-cost education, or even free
education," he said, adding that the severe lack of education
here was the source of many social problems, particularly
poverty.

PKS executive Dani Anwar said that with the city budget was
around Rp 12 trillion (US$1.40 billion) this year, and the
administration could actually provide free education for all
elementary schools with that, if it had the political will.

He said his faction, once they are installed in the council,
would oppose projects that do not help the majority of people,
such as "decorative" projects.

Dani also said that PKS councillors would continue their
campaign against corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) that
have caused great inefficiency in most agencies and the civil
service.

He was also optimistic that PKS councillors would not be
contaminated by the corruption that was allegedly committed by
many current and past councillors.

"By having more councillors from PKS in the council, we hope
we will be able to contribute to solving various problems in the
city. Insya Allah (God willing), we will not make the existing
problems more complicated."

PKS has so far garnered 23.15 percent with about 90 percent of
valid votes counted in Jakarta. The party figures to secure
either 17 or 18 seats in the 75-seat council. Those figures are
much higher compared to the 1999 election when the party,
previously called the Justice Party, only earned four seats.

The 75 new councillors will be inaugurated in August.

Dani added that the PKS' other priorities included an increase
in budget allocation for people's welfare programs, such as
empowerment of cooperatives and small and medium enterprises,
street vendors and job creation projects.

Noted urban observer Azas Tigor Nainggolan said the PKS could
probably not do much to deliver on their promises, as they would
not hold an outright majority in the City Council, meaning they
will have to form a coalition with other factions.

Tigor projected that the party would be supported by not only
its traditional partner, the Islamist-based National Mandate
Party (PAN), but also by other factions who have similar beliefs.

He said that he could not tell whether councillors from
Democratic Party and other new parties could cooperate with PKS,
but old parties like United Development Party (PPP), Golkar and
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) should learn
from PKS' success in wooing supporters by being clean.

"I think the situation in the City Council will be different
very soon. The councillors will be more supportive of programs
that improve people's lives," said Tigor, who is also chairman of
the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta).