The 'Kennedys of Java': Families in politics

The 'Kennedys of Java': Families in politics

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Kendal

Former Kendal regent Hendy Boendoro recalls an event in 1965,
which he says was a determining point in his political career.

Currently contesting the regental election in the Central Java
town of Kendal, he was just a child when he and his brothers
witnessed a large meeting of Indonesian National Party members
just outside their house in Cangkiran village.

"At that time, it was so crowded. The meeting was first held
in Kendal for the Central Java area, and attended by the party's
Central Java chairman Hadi Soebeno. I was so impressed," said
Hendy when he was interviewed by The Jakarta Post in his house in
Cangkiran, Mijen.

Of course, Hendy added, the meeting was held in Cangkiran
probably because Soegito, Hendy's father, was the party's
secretary.

To this day, he is unsure whether it was the political
education from their parents -- politician Soegito and midwife
Roestyawati -- or their personal interest in politics which led
to five of the family's seven children, all boys, choosing
politics as their profession.

Hendy's brother Pupung Suharis is a legislator from the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), while Hendy, who
chairs the party's Kendal chapter, served as Kendal regent
between 1999-2004.

His other brother, Don Murdono, was a legislator and is
currently serving as the regent of Sumedang, West Java, while
Yuwanto, a councilor in Semarang city is now running for the
position of deputy mayor. Hendy's youngest brother, Murdoko,
meanwhile, is a speaker of the Central Java provincial council
and also chairs PDI-P's Central Java chapter.

"Maybe we can be said as the Kennedys van Java," said Hendy
with a grin, referring to the famous American political family.

Murdoko, who joined the interview, greeted his remark with a
laugh. "Yes. You can say it that way, the Kennedys of Java," he
said, with a hint of pride.

The two brothers who did not follow their father into politics
are civil servant Bariyanto and Alan Donny Mudianto, who works
for a foreign company.

"Actually our father did not directly teach us about
politics," Hendy said. "What our father wanted was for us to be
independent. Since we were little, we were never taken to school.
We even registered at elementary school ourselves. Our parents
just came to pick up the school reports."

Murdoko said his father also taught the seven boys how to be
persistent, which he said was demonstrated in the brothers'
continued support of the PDIP when it was under pressure during
the New Order regime.

Soegito died in 1980, without experiencing the party's glory
when its leader Megawati Soekarnoputri became the country's fifth
president.

Murdoko recalled that Soegito, a Yogyakartan native who was
born in 1911, studied in a school that later became the Bandung
Institute of Technology in 1930. "It's a sort of diploma program
now, but at that time, it was high education. He also insisted
that we study, although he was a village man," he said.

All the seven siblings finished their undergraduate studies
and pursued their postgraduate degrees. Hendy is currently
working to finish his Doctorate in Law at the Semarang-based
Diponegoro University.

The similar political interests and education of the brothers
meant family gatherings frequently turned into "hot" political
debates, Hendy said.

"It's like a sharing of political views during our meetings
once a month. We're used to criticizing one another and offering
suggestions," Hendy said.

With all this family support, it is easy to wonder whether
nepotism or other undue influence has helped the brothers' rise
in politics, with these questions asked most recently when Don
Murdono became Sumedang regent. "It was not out of the blue,"
Murdoko says. "Mas Don first became a legislator and then he was
asked to become Sumedang regent. Besides, our mother is a native
of Sumedang."

With two of the siblings currently running for regional office
in elections this month, the Post asked, did the brothers help
each other out financially?

"No such thing. We have to cover our own financial costs. That
was our father's wish; for us to be independent," Hendy said.

"It's wrong if people think that we practice nepotism. For
example, I, the youngest in the family, have just started my
political career -- later -- but politically, my position is much
better than Mas Hendy or Mas Yuyun (Yuwanto)," Murdoko added.

The brothers, however, are not the only political families
contesting the elections.

Bambang Raya Saputra, a Semarang city councilor from the
Golkar Party, is running in the upcoming Semarang mayoral race.
His brother, Kokok Raya, meanwhile, is the mayor of the East Java
town of Madiun -- a PDI-P member who previously served as speaker
for the Madiun municipal council.

The family connections continue, with Bambang paired with
Chomsiyati Soetrisno Suharto, a wife of former Semarang mayor
Soetrisno Suharto, who finished his office term in 1999.

"In my family there're five of us, all men. It's no
coincidence we grew up in a political environment, in this case,
the Indonesian National Party in Madiun. So we're not new to
politics," Bambang told the Post, adding that the brothers'
membership of different political parties was "not an issue".

As Plato said, politics is life, and in some cases this life
proves to be stronger than marriage. One example is former
husband and wife team Sukawi Sutarip and Endang Setyaningsih, who
were divorced in 1989, but continue separately to serve their
constituents.

Sukawi was elected as Semarang mayor in 2005 and is now
running for reelection after finishing his office term early this
year, while Endang is now regent for the neighboring region of
Demak.