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Old politicians challenge rookie legislators
The high number of rookie legislative candidates who won seats at the House of Representatives has senior politicians asking newcomers to prove their capability
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The high number of rookie legislative candidates who won seats at the House of Representatives has senior politicians asking newcomers to prove their capability.
Syamsidar Siregar, a senior politician from the National Mandate Party (PAN), said she was worried about the competency of rookie politicians, believing they relied on heavily financed campaigns rather than solid policy frameworks to secure their candidacy.
“It was no surprise to see less-experienced candidates use unlimited budgets to have their photos posted everywhere, but provide only limited information about their track records,” Syamsidar, who has been a councilor for the past 10 years, told The Jakarta Post at the weekend.
“Candidates from the Democratic Party even misled voters by letting themselves be overshadowed by the party’s chief patron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.”
In the 2009 general elections, Syamsidar competed for a House seat from the Jakarta-2 electoral district, but lost it after failing to secure more than 9,000 votes.
Syamsidar, who currently chairs the PAN faction at the City Council, said she had already accepted her defeat, but would feel disappointed if she later found out the new politicians were incompetent.
“It is important for all newcomers at the House to prove they deserve their seats,” she said.
Effendi Simbolon, a legislator from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), shared similar concerns, saying the recent election rules — granting House seats to individual candidates who secured the most votes — had made it difficult to guarantee the quality of House members.
“The recent election results have proven that political experience is no longer an important factor for voters,” Effendi, who secured his re-election after garnering almost 60,000 votes in the Jakarta-3 electoral district, said.
General Elections Commission (KPU) data shows the Democratic Party secured nine out of the 21 House seats contested in Jakarta, while the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) trailed with four seats.
The Golkar Party and the PDI-P secured three seats each, while the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) and the United Development Party (PPP) secured the remaining two seats.
Among the rookie seat winners are the Democratic Party’s Nova Riyanti Yusuf, a novelist and doctor, Nurcahyo Anggorojati, the son of the Democratic Party chairman Hadi Utomo, and Eddy Sadely, a Chinese community figure. Newcomers also include the PPP’s Okky Asokawati, a model turned politician, and Golkar’s Fayakhun Andriadi, the son-in-law of the party’s former justice minister Muladi.
The newcomers defeated several experienced politicians, including the National Mandate Party’s Abdillah Thoha and Ade Daud Nasution, the PKS’s Rama Pratama and Nursanita Nasution, the PPP’s Arief Mudatsir Mandan, the Ulema National Awakening Party secretary-general Alwi Shihab and the Democratic Reform Party (PDP) chairman Roy B. B. Janis.
Responding to critics, legislator-elect Nova Riyanti Yusuf said, “People can say what they like about rookie politicians, but considering our professional backgrounds, I believe we can make significant contributions to decision making at the House.” (hwa)
Jakarta-1 electoral district:
Ahmad Zainuddin (PKS) 46,179
Adang Ruchiatna (PDI-P) 19,079
Tri Yulianto (PD) 83,773
Hayono Isman (PD) 73,989
Ratnawati Wijana (PD) 19,214
Agung Laksono (Golkar) 32,903
Jakarta-2 electoral district:
Mohammad Sohibul Iman (PKS) 42,553
Fayakhun Andriadi (Golkar) 21,742
Eriko Sotarduga (PDI-P) 37,067
Melani Leimena Suharli (PD) 73,312
Nova Riyanti Yusuf (PD) 52,110
Nurcahyo Anggorojati (PD) 33,716
Okky Asokawati (PPP) 17,343
Jakarta-3 electoral district:
Adang Daradjatun (PKS) 119,287
Achmad Rilyadi (PKS) 22,094
Ade Surapriatna (Golkar) 20,378
Effendi Simbolon (PDI-P) 59,718
Marzuki Alie (PD) 77,614
Eddy Sadeli (PD) 42,509
Vera Febyanthy (PD) 35,873
Harun Al Rasyid (Gerindra) 19,326
Source: The General Election Commission (KPU), recapitulated by CETRO
