Running for governor's office

Running for governor's office

From Rakyat Merdeka

As many as 72 people have nominated themselves as candidates for the governor of Jakarta and about 37 people for the position of deputy governor. Interestingly, incumbent Governor Sutiyoso, whose performance is not satisfactory, is of these contestants.

The post of Jakarta's governor is open to Betawi people, who are indigenous to this city, and non-Betawi as long as the candidates are competent and qualified.

In fact, Jakarta is confronted with a host of complicated problems: dwindling public space, green belts turned into paved roads, inundation and traffic congestion. Then you also have the garbage problem, which needs professional handling, weak law enforcement and corruption.

In short, after former governor Ali Sadikin, popularly called Bang Ali, we knew no governor that did much to change the face of this capital city; Jakarta has been managed carelessly. Strangely, Sutiyoso has blamed urbanization for all the problems now baffling this capital city.

For the Jakarta residents, anybody can occupy the seat of Jakarta's governor as long as he can turn Jakarta into a healthy place of living, free from pollution and floods.

As a capital city, Jakarta is a yardstick and a model for other cities across the country. Anybody wishing to run in the contest for Jakarta's governorship must realize that Jakarta is a metropolitan city and must have the qualification to keep Jakarta in this status.

Perhaps it is good to set the following as the criteria that anybody aspiring to become the governor of Jakarta must meet: (1) honesty; (2) courage to call a spade a spade; (3) free from corruption, collusion and nepotism; (4) devotion to God the Almighty; (5) a problem-free past; (6) a civilian; (7) commitment to defending the interest of the residents, particularly the poor and (8) willingness to listen to the aspirations of the residents.

ASNAWATI SANUSI

Jakarta