H

ow do you prepare yourself to pursue a career in politics? You could study political science, law, finance or journalism; seek opportunities to intern for political campaigns or public-service agencies; learn about the legislative process; network extensively; learn about fund raising and campaign-finance rules and regulations, etc.

Or you could forget about that tedious stuff and just smile and look sexy. At any rate, that seems to have been the preferred strategy of 30-year-old Angel Lelga. Her credentials as a caleg (legislative candidate), for the Islamic United Development Party (PPP), is her popularity as a hot actress and sultry dangdut singer. At least I reckon that'€™s what Suryadharma Ali, religious affairs minister and head of the PPP must have thought when he recruited Angel, a mualaf (convert to Islam), as PPP caleg.

Perhaps Angel starred in politically themed films? Nope. Her filmography consists of Susuk Pocong (Needle of the Shrouded Ghost), Rintihan Kuntilanak Perawan (The Moans of the Virgin Female Ghost), which also featured the ravishing Tera Patrick, an American porn actress, and Pelukan Hantu Janda Gerondong (In the Embrace of the Ghost of the Widow Gerondong) '€” all belonging to the popular genre of sexy horror movies. Not a politician in sight, just corpses and the undead (hmm, maybe there is a link after all).

Angel has other claims to fame, however. At age 19 she was once the siri (unregistered) wife of Rhoma Irama, dangdut king and aspiring president (yes, of Indonesia!), and for her nine-year love affair with super-expensive Hermes bags (costing anywhere from US$4,000 up). She had 50, but now a few less since she sold some after she became a legislative candidate, to buy 5 hectares of paddy fields in her electoral district in Central Java so she could provide jobs for the locals and in that way be connected to her constituents. This is what she told Najwa Shihab, the host of talk-show Mata Najwa, on Jan. 15.

When Najwa asked her what she thought about the relationship between Islam, the state, Islamic parties and the existence of sharia-derived perda (regional regulations), Angel'€™s reply was a blatant and shameful display of her ignorance. Not surprisingly, she became the laughing stock of the twitterati and other Internet critics, and the interview may have put the proverbial stake through the heart of her political aspirations.

Ah well, she won'€™t be the last actor wanting to go into politics. The Americans backed Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood. In India there is Shabana Azmi, Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan; in Italy, Gina Lollobrigida, Alessandra Mussolini and the notorious former porn star Ilona Staller; in the Philippines you have Fernando Poe (a high-school dropout, but a movie star with 300 movies to his name!), Herbert Bautista and, of course, Joseph Estrada who eventually became the 13th president of his country before landing in the slammer.

What is it that celebrities bring to the political stage? Name recognition, naturally. Aspiring politicians know how important it is to turn yourself into a household name and how hard '€” and expensive '€” it is to do so.

Because I'€™m not a fan of horror movies, sexy or otherwise, I had never even heard of Angel Lelga'€™s name before. But looking up the names of legislative candidates for 2014, I noticed it'€™s not just the PPP '€” all the parties have fresh celebrities lined up.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) has 10, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) have six each; the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party has five; the National Democratic (NasDem) Party and People'€™s Conscience (Hanura) Party have four each; the PPP, the Democratic Party (PD), Golkar and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) each have three. The latter are Camel Petir (a dangdut singer), Norma Yunita (a pop singer) and Destiara Talita (a model for adult magazines).

What do these three artists have in common? They are all beautiful and sexy! But don'€™t worry, the party seniors have made sure that as caleg, they'€™re covered up in Muslim attire and all appear very decorous indeed. Appearances: the commonality between politics and acting. What'€™s behind the façade doesn'€™t matter.

But if politics is to be an extension of showbiz and the broadcast media, we'€™re headed for ruin. The House of Representatives is already notorious for being one of the most under-performing and corrupt institutions in the country '€” it'€™s pretty certain that certain celebs could drag it down even further.

Political parties are supposed to be pillars of democracy. However, the current practice of celebrity caleg is a clear sign of the parties'€™ lack of belief in their own electoral power (not surprising, given the rampant corruption within most parties). In fact its a sign of desperation, and downright stupidity because all the polls and surveys are clear: The public doesn'€™t trust celebrity caleg. They know they are amateurs, and are totally aware that the nation will be in big trouble if they choose them.

Being appointed as a caleg is normally an incentive and a recognition of years of dedication and loyalty to the party. The trend of the celebrity caleg is clearly a disincentive for professional politicians and potential caleg who don'€™t have star power, but who could have a better chance of delivering in the long run.

The celebrity caleg phenomenon also serves to undermine the political contract between the party and the electorate which is based on trust. How can the electorate trust a party which is only interested in getting quick votes without thinking of the long-term consequences for the party, the political system, democracy and the nation?

I used to be a fan of Star Wars, George Lucas'€™ epic movie series because it was fun and exciting. But the legislative election of '€œstar wars'€ that will take place on April 9 '€” 48 days away '€” is more of a bimbo time-bomb than a war of stars. Brace yourselves for the explosion '€” and the mess '€” folks!

The writer is the author of Julia'€™s Jihad.