Women enter politics through connections

Women enter politics through connections

SURABAYA (JP): Indonesian women enter politics through
connection rather than merit, observers agreed in a discussion
here Thursday.

Political positions were given as gifts to women, and they
were recruited through nepotistic channels, concluded the
discussion featuring the former minister of home affairs Rudini,
legislator Khofifah Indar Parawansa and political scientist Retno
T. Johan.

The speakers also agreed that the practice would in the end
harm not only the dignity of Indonesian women, but also the
country's effort to empower its people.

Titled "Women in Indonesian Politics" and organized by the
August 17 University, the seminar was held only two days after
influential Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid declared it was now
time for Indonesia to discuss the possibility of Indonesia having
a female president. About 200 students attended the discussion.

Rudini said the current recruitment of women into politics in
Indonesia reflected the country's political system.

The process would be ideal if it conducted "bottom-up"
recruitment and was oriented toward the interests of the people,
he said.

"In reality, however, the process of recruitment (of female
politicians) is colored with nepotism. Many female members of the
House of Representatives and People's Consultative Assembly are
elected because they are the daughters, wives or relatives of
some politicians," he said.

Retno added that a survey conducted on East Javanese women who
were members of the House, City Council, and regency council
showed that 40 percent of their husbands belonged to the Armed
Forces.

Thirty-seven percent of them were wives of civil servants, 10
percent wives of businessmen, 10 percent wives of private-sector
workers, and only 3 percent wives of farmers, Retno said.

She said she doubted the appointment was proof of the women's
achievement or years of hard work. The political positions were
more of a gift because of their husbands' positions in the Armed
Forces or bureaucracy.

However, she said none of the women surveyed had entered
politics because of financial motivation.

"Women have a strong ability to emphatize (something which is
good) in politics which is full of intrigue and power struggles.
Women politicians are expected to bring a breath of fresh air to
all," she said.

Khofifah, on the other hand, said the country's patriarchal
culture was the main hindrance to women wanting to enter
politics.

She also blamed bureaucracy and the country's unfair and
undemocratic system of recruitment, which she said "structurally"
hampered women from entering politics in this country. (nur/aan)