Indonesian parties turn to celebrities as election looms

With his sculpted abdominals proudly displayed on his Facebook profile, male model Adrian Maulana cuts a very different figure to the ex-generals and dynastic heirs who dominate Indonesian politics.He is at the forefront of a new push by Indonesian parties to field celebrities and other tabloid favourites -- collectively known as "artis" -- as candidates in next year's legislative election.

Sitting with his shirt on in a Japanese restaurant, the 30-year-old Maulana admitted he is "still learning" about politics even though he has already been accepted as a candidate by the liberal National Mandate Party (PAN).The former engineering student, who was part of the 1998 protests that overthrew dictator Suharto is visibly uncomfortable, his voice quavering, when tackling policy questions.
However the sometime soap opera and film star said "artis" are quick learners and had to memorise scripts at short notice.They also have the common touch, he said
"We celebrities, we are used to talking to the poor people, we are used to taking pictures with them. So we are more sensitive. We know what they want, we know what they need," he said.
The celebrity candidates are an attempt by parties to reconnect with a public that has become disillusioned with 10 years of democracy, persistent poverty and a steady stream of high-level graft scandals, analysts said.
Sitting lawmaker Nurul Arifin, herself a former actress, said the explosion of celebrity candidates for the April polls exposes how poorly parties have connected with Indonesian voters.Parties remain the vehicles of big personalities with money. Any candidate who wants to break into politics needs stacks of cash to pay party members and promote themselves through advertising.Celebrities, already well recognised by Indonesia's masses, get to bypass -- or at least get a discount on -- this process "because they already have social capital," Arifin said."I'm worried about the substance of these artis. Do they know the substance of politics? Do they know what it means to be a politician?" she asked. The party most enthusiastically recruiting celebrities, Maulana's PAN, is working hard to make sure its famous candidates don't become embarrassments.
PAN has appointed its own "head of cinema and infotainment" to look after its 15 celebrities and has hired a private political consultancy to run special training sessions.
The star candidates gather at least weekly at a conference table in front of a bank of plasma screens for workshops on party strategy, current issues and political basics.
Political scientist Bima Arya Sugiyarto, who has been hired to help in the training, said some of his charges still had a lot of work to do before they could enter parliament.
"For some people they do have an adequate knowledge of politics, for others they really are beginners," Sugiarto said.The push for celebrities by parties across the spectrum is an acknowledgement that politicians are trying to combat a dirty reputation for brown-paper-bag politics, he said.
"Massive publicity for corruption scandals by party politicians has really damaged the image of party politics," he said."They hope that by recruiting celebrities and public figures, the public will still vote for the parties' candidates."
PAN's celebrity coordinator, Amazon Dalimunthe, said the party valued the relatively clean image of celebrities enough to risk the ire of rank-and-file party members passed over for candidacy."Of course there's jealousy (from party cadres). They protested, but the party leadership is looking at it from a wider perspective," Dalimunthe said.
Celebrities have been embraced with fervour across much of Indonesia's fractious political spectrum.The parties of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his main rival Megawati Sukarnoputri have recruited TV and film stars, joining tickets that include one of ex-general Yudhoyono's sons and one of Megawati's daughters.
Former special forces chief, alleged human rights violator and Suharto son-in-law Prabowo Subianto has also tapped a sweet-faced soap star to run with his nationalist Gerindra Party.Even the Islamic United Development Party has a popular singer of "dangdut," an Arabic and Indian-infused pop music associated in equal parts with sleazy dens and the country's rural heartland.

Read More......

Re election Yudhoyono for President

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has conformed that he will once again be a presidential candidate in the 2009 presidential election.

“When the general election nears, I will propose my self again,” he said.

Yudhoyono said that Jusuf Kalla could be his running mate again, however, it was too early to confirm this.

“There are still many possibilities and dynamics with the Golkar party and Jusuf Kalla himself,” said Yudhoyono.

He mentioned that the current political situation in his last year of office was becoming sensitive.

“As the incumbent, there is a real likelihood that I will be made many people’s enemy. But I am ready, and this is a risk in the world of politics,” he said.

Regarding the presidential election bill that is still being discussed at the House about candidate having to gain between 20 and 30 percent support, Yudhoyono said that he was not worried.

“I am ready for anything considered right by the political parties,” he said.

However, he suggested that the bill not become a tool for political parties that failed in proposing their candidates during the last election.

Yudhoyono said he would focus on his candidacy after the legislative election was completed.

“I will follow the regulations,” he said.

According to the schedule of the General Elections Commission (KPU), the legislative election will be conducted on April 9, 2009 while the first round of the presidential election will be on July 6 and the second round on September 21 next year.

Read More......

Accident during pasca idul fitri at tol

JAKARTA: The Jakarta traffic police recorded 10 people died in traffic accidents in the city during the annual holiday exodus since Sept. 25.
"Most of the accidents happened to motorcyclists who were driving carelessly," Adj. Comr. Sunarto, an officer at the Traffic Management Center, said Friday.
Of the 39 victims, Sunarto said, 10 died and 25 were injured. The rest suffered financial losses from vehicle damage.
Sunarto said traffic monitors as of Friday still had not seen any signs of returning flow of holiday travelers.

"The bus and train stations are still relatively quiet today."
He said traffic congestion had only caused jams around recreation centers such as Ancol, North Jakarta; Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta; and the cultural park Taman Mini Indonesia, East Jakarta.
It was estimated the influx of travelers would peak this weekend.

Read More......

To remind the tragic of mudflow at Sidoarjo

Hundreds of Lapindo mudflow refugees held Idul Fitri prayer at the site of the mudlow in Sidoarjo, East Java on Wednesday. The refugees picked one site for their prayer in Ketapang Keres village cancelling the two previous locations within the mud flooded area prepared the day before.

A legislator Ario Widjanarko told reporters after the prayer that the house will monitor the compensation for the remaining mudflow refugees who have not receive the pay off. A member of the Indonesian Human Rights Commission also joined the prayer at the mudlake area.

Refugees held an annual visit to the grave of their relatives, a tradition which follows Ramadan and Idul Fitri in some places or groups in Indonesia, and the areas where their properties were.

The mudflow in Porong subregency spurred in 2006 at one of the exploration site of the Lapindo Brantas mining company in the region. More than 10.000 residence were forced to leave their land as the mud form a 2,5 square miles lake which drowned everything in the area. The mudflow is still continuing.

Read More......