UI holds public campaign for rectoral election

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For the first time in its history, the University of Indonesia (UI) staged a hustings on Thursday for candidates in its rectorial election.

The event, open to the public, was attended by more than 1,000 visitors, including lecturers, students and employees.

There were also booths providing fliers, posters, T-shirts and caps to visitors to provide information about each candidate.

The public campaign was part of the process to elect a new UI rector for the term 2002 through 2007.

During the one-day event, seven candidates offered their vision and mission, each with their own way of attracting the public's attention.

The candidates include Jimly Assidiqie (Professor of State Administrative Law), Usman Chatib Warsa (UI acting rector and Professor of Medicine), Martani Huseini (Dean, School of Social and Political Science) and Harkristuti Harkrisnowo (head of the criminal dept., School of Law).

Harkristuti, the only woman in the race, for example, sang a song, along with other lecturers and students, while another candidate, Jimly Assidiqie read a poem on the 21 characteristics of an ideal rector.

Acting rector Usman Chatib Warsa even introduced members of his family to the audience before starting his presentation.

Many lecturers, students and employees wore T-shirts or caps bearing slogans indicating their support for particular candidates, such as "I Support HH" (HH standing for Harkristuti) and "Usman Yes". Some sat in groups to give support to their candidates by shouting or singing songs.

Besides delivering presentations, the candidates also participated in a question-and-answer session with the public.

However, aside from this colorful campaign, many students gave a cold shoulder to the candidates' enthusiastic presentations, slamming them as a "fix".

Lusi, a student at UI's public health school, expressed skepticism about the fairness of the rectorial election.

"All of this fanfare is just for show, as I believe the choice (of rector) has already been made. The person's name is already with the Board of Trustees (MWA)," said Lusi.

She added that whoever the newly elected rector might be, he or she ought to take the students' side, especially in committing not to raise tuition fees.

The hottest issue rising to the surface during the campaign was future implications for the university, given its new status as a state-owned incorporated entity (BHMN).

This requires the university, among other things, to seek new funding sources for its academic and research activities, as the government will reduce its subsidy.

Many students worried that the university's costs could be passed on to them in the form of increased tuition fees.

"The important thing for the newly elected rector is that he or she must not "extort" students in order to cover the university's costs," said Lusi.

Meanwhile, Neim, a security guard at the school of engineering, who has been employed there since 1987, stated that the new rector must embrace all sectors of the university community regardless of their level or role there.

"We don't need a brilliant person. We need someone who can cope with and form a bridge between top officials and lower-level staff like me," he said.

After the hustings, the MWA will carry out an assessment of the candidates on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6 to shortlist them to four. On Aug. 12, it will choose two candidates who will run in the final election on Aug.14.

MWA members consist of 21 people drawn from university stakeholders, including lecturers, students, businesspeople, the public and minister of education.