Up for election 2004

Up for election 2004

Along with voting for political parties and legislative
candidates in the House of Representatives (DPR) and City/Regency
Council (DPRD) on April 5, voters will also select candidates for
the new Regional Representatives Council (DPD). The DPD will
consist of four members from each of the 32 provinces, who
together with the 550 elected members of the DPR will make up the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). This is the seventh of a
13-part series profiling the 38 Jakarta candidates for the DPD by
The Jakarta Post's Bambang Nurbianto.

GERSONIUS R. SARAGIH

Candidacy number: 19

Place/date of birth: Jakarta/April 30, 1964

Education: University of Santo Thomas, the Philippines

Organizational experience:

- Jayabaya Christian Alliance
- Jakarta International Louhan Club
- Karya Youth Association

Past and current jobs:
- Assistant general manager of PT Aiwa Indonesia

- Director of PT Hosanna Mobilindo
- Marketing director of PT Grasia Media Utama Insurance
- Lecturer

The DPD will be the most legitimate institution representing
the people because its members will be directly elected by the
voters. That is why I accepted my candidacy.

However, the current law does not give significant authority
to the DPD. Lawmakers are still reluctant to hand over any of
their authority to the DPD because they want to maintain the
status quo.

My top priority is to get more authority for the DPD, which
can be done by revising the law on the body. Next on the list is
jobs creation, improved public transportation, affordable
education and a solution to the annual flooding.

Jobs creation is very important. With about one million people
out of work, we must attract more investors. This, however, is
difficult because investors are burdened with numerous taxes.
Many investors have even relocated their factories to other
countries. We do not want any more companies to leave the
country.

NUKMAN MUHASYIM
Candidacy number: 20

Place/date of birth: Jakarta/Feb. 12, 1939

Education: Jakarta Islamic University

Organizational experience:
- Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) youth group

- NU's Anshor youth wing
- Betawi Assembly (Bamus Betawi)
- Several political parties

Past and current jobs:
- Teacher

- City councillor

If elected, my first concern will be security in the capital.
The city administration has not seriously addressed this issue.
People feel insecure whenever they are out on the streets,
particularly at night.

The source of the problem is the administration's failure to
control the high rate of urbanization. This city needs a
regulation on urbanization to minimize the flow of people from
other areas coming into Jakarta.

My second priority will be the empowerment of the Betawi
(native Jakartans), to allow them to represent this city in many
institutions, including the DPD. This is in line with Law No.
22/1999 on regional autonomy, which gives locals more
opportunities to take an active role in development.

Law enforcement, poverty elimination and affordable education
are other issues that will also be priorities. On education, the
Constitution rules that the government must allocate 20 percent
of the budget for this sector, but so far it has been reluctant
to do so.

YETTY W. MUALIM
Candidacy number: 21

Place/date of birth: Jakarta/Feb. 2, 1961

Education: University of Indonesia

Organizational experience:
- Several student organizations

- Family Welfare Movement (PKK)

Past and current jobs:
- Lecturer

I believe I can help people by becoming a DPD member. I have
taken part in many social activities to raise funds to help the
unlucky ones. Besides, I already have the support of my husband
and children.

My first priority is to push the government to spend more
money to resolve social problems, particularly related to
orphans, the elderly and the poor. Since the economic crisis hit
our country in 1997, the number of poor people has increased
significantly.

I am also interested in other social problems like drug abuse
and sex outside of marriage, problems that affect large numbers
of our young people. This is very dangerous because young people
are the future leaders of this country. I don't think our current
leaders are taking sufficient action to overcome these problems.

How can we expect a better future if our potential leaders are
already contaminated by drugs and degraded morals?