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West Lombok candidates set for second round
Panca Nugraha , The Jakarta Post , West Lombok | Sat, 12/13/2008 11:19 AM | The Archipelago
Candidates in the second round of the West Lombok regency election again presented their visions and mission statements to a special plenary meeting of the regency legislative council on Thursday.
The candidates running in the second round are Zaini Arony and Mahrib (collectively known as Zam-zam), nominated by the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI); and Lalu Sajim Sastrawan and Munajib (collectively known as SMS), who are running on an independent ticket.
Both teams laid out their development strategies in the session led by vice speakers Kaharuddin and Ahmad Isror Idris.
The Zam-zam pair promised to implement a rural-based community development program they call the "One Kampung One Product" (OKOP) system.
"Each of the 121 villages in the 15 districts in West Lombok has its own potential and special qualities. We will implement the OKOP development pattern according to each village's potential," Zaini said.
To realize the OKOP program, Zaini said he would increase the village allocation funds currently ranging between Rp 80 million (US$7,200) and Rp 100 million to Rp 250 million per village a year.
The funds will be managed by each village administration to develop its area according to its own potential.
The Zam-zam pair also promised to develop tourism in West Lombok and turn it into a major national and international tourism destination.
"We will also streamline the free healthcare and education programs which will be carried out by the provincial administration in 2009," Zaini said.
In a similar vein, the SMS pair also promised to improve community-based development programs. Despite not specifying the amount of money to be spent, Salim said development would be carried out in each area according to people's wishes and needs.
"Development will be focused on agriculture if the area is blessed with good agricultural potential, and so with marine resources and tourism," he said.
Salim also promised to expand job opportunities and change the segmented mind-set between rich and poor in West Lombok.
The Zam-zam and SMS pairs will compete in the second round of the election on Monday after they won the most votes in the first round on Oct. 30.
Zam-zam won 28.90 percent of the 537,970 votes cast, and SMS won 23.39 percent.
Head of the West Lombok General Elections Commission (KPUD) Hasanain said after the plenary meeting that both campaign teams were allowed to run campaign activities on Friday and Saturday.
He said Sunday would be the cooling-off period before the election took place simultaneously in 15 districts.
Hasanain said all preparations were complete, including the distribution of ballots at every polling station.
The West Lombok election on Oct. 30 cost Rp 8.25 billion, and the West Lombok KPUD has received Rp 4.75 billion from the regency administration to hold the second round.
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