If you're Sutiyoso or governor candidate

If you're Sutiyoso, governor of Jakarta, what will you do to prevent worse floods in the city next year onwards? Well, Sutiyoso's term will be ended this year. With limited time available, what's the best he should do to inherit a legacy of true leader?

Sutiyoso proposes transmigration of Jakartans. But people are cynical about the idea, "except he'll remove us to Pondok Indah (the upper class neighborhood!)," a resident of Cililitan told Detik.com.
Transmigration is not a bad idea at all. But it should be done naturally in the longer run, not repeating Soeharto era's model. If we start to build huge malls at Jakarta's outskirts, we could move some people. If we build new 'capital city' outside Jakarta, we could move people more significantly. But all of these will be long-run strategies.
What will you do if you're in Sutiyoso's position with few months left in office to change the course of these deadly floods?
The question is good for governor candidates to anwer or could be part of their campaign. I wanna see one of these candidates (Sarwono, Faisal Basri, Fauzi Bowo, Rano Karno, Andang Daradjatun, Agum Gumelar, who else?) come up with bold ideas & feasible to implement, not just shouting "Free of Floods in 2008" or "Anti-Floods Guaranteed!"

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PDI-P & Jakarta gubernatorial race

PDI-P led by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri has started the selection of candidate who will run under its banner for Jakarta gubernatorial race next year. Five candidates are competing for the spot. The election is important for the party as benchmark for its chance in 2009 elections.

The candidates are: (Read my previous articles about them)
1) Agum Gumelar
2) Bibit Waluyo
3) Faisal Basri
4) Fauzi Bowo
5) Sarwono Kusumaatmadja
Some of these names also approached other parties like president SBY's Partai Demokrat. Agum claimed PAN and Demokrat are supporting his candidacy. Meanwhile Faisal Basri had also approached PKB, PAN and PDS. PKB's patron leader, former president Abdurrahman Wahid, is said to support two candidates: Faisal Basri & Sarwono Kusumaatmadja. But later on PKB endorsed popular actor Rano Karno.

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Banten gubernatorial race updates

Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) accused the ballots counting in Lebak regency, Banten province has been cheated with significant mark-up for particular governor candidate. Preliminary result shown Atut-Masduki (Golkar-PDI-P) won the regency by significant margin. This is gonna be serious!

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Wider cracks at Democratic Party

The cracks at Democratic Party led by Hadi Utomo, president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's brother-in-law, is getting wider with the recent internal friction at Banten province branch ahead of gubernatorial race schedule in November.

But Hadi denied the cracks and told Antara news agency that the nomination of Banten governor candidate has nothing to do with internal friction in the party that helped SBY to a unanimous victory in 2004 presidential election.
Central Board of Democratic Party had dismissed Usamah Hisyam, a former journalist, as the party's Banten branch chairman accusing Hisyam of violating the party's policy on Banten gubernatorial race.
Hisyam nominated himself as the party's candidate for the race while the central board tend to support Irsyad Djuweli, a Golkar Party cadre who also secured support from PPP (Islamic party). Hisyam rejected to pull out from the race and registered his candidacy on Saturday.
Two candidates have secured their respective parties support. They are Ratu Atut Chosiyah (Golkar & PDI-P) and Zulkiefliemansyah (PKS).
Read my previous articles:
1) Banten Governor Candidate (1): Ratu Atut

2) Banten Governor Candidate (2): Zulkiefliemansyah

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Banten governor candidate (1): Ratu Atut Chosiyah

Ratu Atut Chosiyah, the acting governor of governor, has won nomination from two major parties Golkar and PDI-P. She is considered the front runner in the November direct election. Who is the Queen (English for Ratu)?

Someone (or groups) established a blog at ratuatutchosyiah.wordpress.com with negative informations on the lady.
Born in Ciomas, Serang, May 16, 1962 from Prof Dr H Tb Chasan Sochib and Hj Waisah, Atut married to H. Hikmat Tomet and has three children (Andika Hazrumi, Andriana Aprilia, and Ananda Trianh Salichan).
While developing her construction business, Atut attracted nation-wide attention when she was nominated as deputy governor of Banten in 2001. Banten people initially rejected her nomination. But she managed to get through. She was appoined deputy treasurer of Golkar Party in the late 2004.
In October 10, 2005, the governor of Banten, Djoko Munandar, was suspended and Atut Chosiyah was then appointed the acting governor.
Munandar is accused of misusing the 2003 Banten provincial budget, causing losses to the state of Rp14 billion ($1.4 million).

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Banten gubernatorial race

Hold your breath for the Jakarta gubernatorial race which is a year away. Let's talk about the breathtaking race in the newly established Banten province at the western tip of Java island only weeks away. Who are the candidates?

Three pairs to contest:
First, Rt Atut Chosiyah (Golkar) endorsed by PDI-P as governor candidate. She won the PDI-P Banten chapter convention, beating PDI-P's own cadre and popular artist Mrs Marissa Haque (PDI-P legislator). Mrs Atut also won Golkar Party's convention in Banten to make her the front runner in the election.
Second, Dr Zulkieflimansyah (legislator from PKS). His running mate is Mrs Marissa Haque (PDI-P).
Third, Tubagus Iman Aryadi (Golkar executive), endorsed by president SBY's Partai Demokrat.
The election is worth attention as Banten is the stronghold of Golkar party which won the 2004 election with 16 seats at the local legislative (DPRD), followed by PDI-P (12), PKS (11), Partai Demokrat (8), and PPP (8).
Banten is the home of many multinational investments. Cilegon regency is the largest center of chemical industry in Indonesia. Mitsubishi Chemical, for example, operates the largest purified therepthalic acid (PTA) plants of South East Asia in Cilegon regency. Chandra Asri (olefin center), Titan's PENI (polyethylene), Tri Polyta (polypropylene), Asahi Chemical's EDC to PVC plants, Cabot's carbon black, Amoco Mitsui's PTA plant, Polyprima's PTA plant, Polychem's glycol, Bayer MaterialScience, etc. Cilegon is also the steel-related industry center with the largest steel manufacturer PT Krakatau Steel and Australia's BHP Steel facilities there.
The much-talked-about Bojonegara port is also there with efforts to make it a special economic zone (SEZ). The Merak port is main access linking Java and Sumatra islands.
Banten raised public's attention on social issues when Tangerang, Banten's most populous municipality, under the spotlight after the issuance of a controversial bylaw to eradicate prostitution in 2005. Bylaw No. 8/2005 bans people in public places, places visible from the street or in red-light districts, from persuading or coercing, either through words or gestures, others into acts of prostitution.
The municipality's council also promulgated bylaw No. 7/2005 which bans the distribution and the sale of alcoholic drinks, except in three to five-star hotels and licensed restaurants for on-the-spot consumption.
There's so much at stakes, but I have no clues in which directions these governor candidates would take the province to. Anybody?

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Jakarta governor candidates (6): Agum Gumelar

Most of my friends don't believe that Agum Gumelar is the potential winner of Jakarta governor election next year. Yet, Sugeng Sarjadi Syndicate's survey shown the vice president candidate (running mate of Hamzah Haz) in 2004 election as the front runner. Who is he?

Agum Gumelar was born in Tasikmalaya, West Java in December 17, 1945. He spent most of his carreer as military officer, served as the commander of Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) in early 1990s, and retired as three-star general before then president Abdurrahman Wahid appointed the man as minister for transportation. He retained the post during Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration until his resignation to compete against the former boss in 2004 as Hamzah's running mate.
He made controversial decisions as telecommunication minister with 3G licenses awarded to Lippo Telecom (a subsidiary of Lippo Group). Oops, in April, shareholders of PT Lippo Karawaci Tbk, the largest listed property company owned by Lippo Group, appointed Agum as the commissioner.
Agum had registered to run the governorship under Megawati's PDI-P banner. He would compete with civilian figures, Faisal Basri and Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, who also had registered to be PDI-P's candidates.
"If Agum could win the candidacy at PDI-P Jakarta Chapter's conference, he has the chance to win the governorship as he is perceived as a decisive military figure and pro-pluralism," a political analyst-friend said.
Agum is a popular figure thanks to his position as chairman of the National Sport Committee (KONI) despite poor performance of Indonesian sports. A big fan of football, he has been a regular TV commentator for major tournaments like World Cup or Champions League.
Father of two (Khaseli & Ami) from his marriage to Linda Amaliasari (daughter of former Soeharto-era tourism and telecommunication minister Achmad Tahir), Agum earned master degree in science (what science?) from American University (anybody knows the exact location of this university?). Agum is classmate of the current Jakarta governor Sutiyoso at military academy.
His daughter Ami married to badminton champion Taufik Hidayat, the most popular athlete in Indonesia. Smash!

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PKS-PDIP coalition in Jakarta governor election

In the last few days, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) have made some interesting statements about its position regarding the Jakarta governor election next year. The most interesting is the plan to establish a coalition with PDI-P to support certain candidates.

While PDI-P have disclosed the potential candidates run for the election under its banner (Faisal Basri, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Hendropriyono, and Bibit Waluyo), PKS is yet to formally endorsed some names as candidates. The party tipped Lt Gen Syafri Syamsoedin (currently secretary to minister of defense) but Syafri prefers to maintain his current job. PKS also tipped National Police Chief Sutanto but most likely he will also reject that. It mentioned Adang Daradjatun, deputy police chief, but no clearance so far.
But the party's Jakarta chapter executive admitted PKS may endorse Bibit Waluyo who also secured support from PDI-P. Bibit's name might be the reason for PKS to informally say that it could work with PDI-P for the election.
But, wait a minute! Isn't the party's platform is very much different with PDI-P's?
PDI-P said they could work with PKS as long as the platform for the one who will lead Jakarta is the same i.e. he/she should guarantee the pluralism. PKS has been considered a party with strong flavor of secularism. But the party is trying hard to convince public that it promotes pluralism in various local/regional leaders across the nation in the last two years.
PKS, according to recent data, has been involved in coalition with various political parties on more than 40 local/regional leaders election. "Even we have coalition with Partai Damai Sejahtera (strong Christian ideology) in elections in eastern part of the country," the party said last year.
So, in that context, a coalition of PKS and PDI-P in the next year's Jakarta governor election will not be a big surprise. The question, who will be the candidate that could well represent the platform of both parties, who will be the senior and junior partner, what will be the consequence if they win etc. If 2004 election is the benchmark, I belief that PKS want to be the senior partner as the party with most seats in Jakarta house of representatives (DPRD), 18 seats to 9 seats (PDI-P).

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Jakarta Governor Candidates (4): Bibit Waluyo

Lt General (ret) Bibit Waluyo had registered his candidacy to run for Jakarta governor election under PDI-P banner, well before economist Faisal Basri. Bibit Waluyo is a former commander of army's strategic reserve command (Kostrad), retired in late 2004.

Bibit is competing with his senior, Lt Gen (ret) Agum Gumelar, who also run for Jakarta governor under PDI-P banner.
Who is Bibit?
Born in Klaten, Central Java, August 5, 1949, Bibit married to Sri Suharti. Father of three (Sari Lestari Kurniawati, Dian Handayani & Rini Tri Utami), Bibit is often considered the president's man (because his close relationship with president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono). Military observer MT Arifin once called Bibit as SBY's man. His name once tipped as candidate for minister of transportation in SBY's first cabinet.
But Bibit was also reportedly close friend of former army chief of staff General Ryamizard Ryacudu. Some even says Bibit as General (ret) Wiranto's man.
Whatever. Bibit was one of top military figures who opposed peace agreement between Indonesia government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed in August 2005. Why he run for Jakarta governor election?
Probably because he believe in his experience as commander of Jakarta military area in 2001-2002.

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Another cabinet reshuffle?

Rakyat Merdeka, as usual, run a provocative headline today quoting Tifatul Sembiring, chairman of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), saying the party will pull out all its cadres from cabinet after the World Cup 2006.

Hundreds miles away from Jakarta, minister for agriculture Anton Apriyantono, one of PKS cadre was seemengly relax walking side-by-side with president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and other cabinet members prior to a meeting in Losari agri-resort, Malang, East Java.
Tifatul said the threat to pull out its support for the government is serious, amid criticism that the party is bargaining with Golkar Party for more seats in the cabinet.
Tifatul went short in details of the party's plan, including the exact timing as World Cup 2006 final is scheduled the end of this week and few months ahead of president SBY's routine annual examination of performance of his ministers (every November). But he disclosed the reason behind the pull-out decision, i.e. tired of being considered as the enemy within.
"This is our respond to Golkar Party's accusation that our party play two faces politics. It's better to serve people's interest than to support an undecisive government," Tifatul said.
PKS has three cadres in the cabinet in charge of agriculture, people's housing affairs, and sports. On top of this, minister for state-owned enterprises Sugiharto is reportedly closer to PKS recently.
So far, no words from the president or his close aides. But Partai Demokrat where SBY is the patron leader/founder, said government should seriously review its relationship (coalition) with PKS. Surprisingly PKS tipped National Police Chief General Sutanto, a close aide to SBY, as its potential candidate to run for Jakarta governor election next year.
So, watchout, whether this time PKS is not bark louder than its bite.

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Jakarta Governor Candidates: Sarwono Kusumaatmadja (3)

Senior politician Sarwono Kusumaatmadja might be the oldest candidate to run in next year's Jakarta governor election. But he has immense of energy and lots of affections to be one of the strongest contenders.

Born in Jakarta, July 24, 1943, Sarwono graduated from the prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1974. Served as minister for environmental affairs and state apparatus during Soeharto regime and maritime-fishery affairs minister during Abdurrahman Wahid's administration, Sarwono is known as Mr Clean and Mr Simple for his modest lifestyle.
He won one of five seats of Jakarta's representative at Regional Representative Council (DPD) in 2004 with second biggest voters (10%) behind businesswoman Mooryati Soedibyo. I will not do profiling on him or his views on things because you can easily access his personal web at www.sarwono.net.
He had registered as governor candidate under PDI-P banner along with noted economist Faisal Basri and forver VP candidate Agum Gumelar. Sarwono was once the secretary general of Golkar during Soeharto years.
Despite his 'bad habit' as heavy smoker (like me), Sarwono has close relationship with grassroot movements and the poorest in the city. Like Basri, he is a pluralist campaigner and has good relationship with non-Moslem society. Do you think Sarwono could win?

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Jakarta Governor Candidates: Fauzi Bowo (2)

Deputy governor of Jakarta Fauzi Bowo is considered the strongest candidate for 2007 governor election with support from Partai Golkar, military, PPP (Islamic party), and Partai Demokrat.
As the deputy to governor Sutiyoso, he has the luxury to indirectly campaign earlier than his opponents. He controls Jakarta bureaucracy down to village head levels, important vote getter machinery. His running mate might be a military figure as compensation for the military's support. For decades, military figures hold the Jakarta governorship with minimum rank of lieut general.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) which won 2004 parliament election in Jakarta initially endorsed Fauzi, but dropped the support last week for undisclosed reason. It is interesting to watch who will be the candidate from PKS. Even Singapore's senior minister Lee Kuan Yew raised the question in his meeting with senior PKS leaders (Wahid Nur Hidayat and Zulkieflimansyah) early this year in Jakarta.
Anyway, who is Fauzi Bowo?
Born in Jakarta, April 10, 1948, Fauzi earned the PhD in architecture from Fachbereich Architektur/Raum Und Umweltplanung-Baungenieurwesen Universitat Kaiserlautern, Germany.
Married to Sri Hartati, Fauzi has three children. Born from a strong Nahdatul Ulama (the largest Moslem organization) family, Fauzi was tipped by some political parties to challenge Sutiyoso for the governorship in 2002. But he chose to be Sutiyoso's running mate (endorsed by Golkar and PDI-P) instead.
Major business groups, especially those who controls most properties in the city, are reportedly underwriting Fauzi's candidacy. The same question with Faisal Basri, do you think Fauzi will be the best choice and has the capability to lead Jakarta into a more comfortable and safe city?

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Jakarta Governor Candidates: Faisal Basri (1)

I met noted economist Faisal Basri at Le Meriden hotel, Jakarta, two months ago and directly raised the question: Do you really want to run for the governorship? He said: I'm not sure yet. But as reported by The Jakarta Post today, Basri confirmed his candidacy and is lobbying PDI-P (the party led by Megawati Soekarnoputri) to be the party's candidate.

So, Basri is competing with former minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and the 2004 vice president candidate Agum Gumelar as governor candidate under PDI-P banner. Banteng Muda Indonesia (BMI), one of PDI-P's youth organizations, told Rakyat Merdeka newspaper yesterday that it rejects Sarwono as PDI-P's candidate. I would say Agum might be rejected by some party members especially with his move to leave Megawati camp in 2004 and supported Hamzah Haz's bid for presidency instead.
I will not do profiling on Basri as you can read that at his personal website at www.faisalbasri.com. But to cut it short, Basri is a nationalist figure, pluralism campaigner, popular among young intellectuals & students, and support free and fair competition in all walks of life.
Who underwrites Basri's candidacy? This is a difficult question I can't answer myself. Anybody knows something about that? Do you think he has the capability to be governor?

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Sutiyoso & the 2009 dream

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso (1997-2007) clearly has a bigger plan when he proposed the megapolitan administration concept few weeks ago and become a national debate at the moment. He is preparing to contest the presidential election in 2009. For some, that might seems to far away. But for the former boss of president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (while Sutiyoso was the Jakarta Military Commander back in 1996), the megapolitan concept is big test for his future in politics.

Why?

Sutiyoso is in his second term as Jakarta Governor. In terms of popularity, he could be considered the most popular out of 32 governors in Indonesia. But his tenure will be ended next year. He can't compete in the governor election anymore.

Sutiyoso and his supporters knows exactly if the retired lieutnant general has no official position in the government by then, his chance to contest the 2009 presidential election will be slimmer.

So he campaigned for the megapolitan concept that would consolidate the administrations of metropolitan Jakarta and its satellite cities like Bekasi, Depok, Tangerang, and Bogor into a ministerial level. Bekasi, Depok, and Bogor are under the West Java provincial administration, while Tangerang under Banten province.

Sutiyoso got support from internal affairs minister Muhammad Mar'uf, but national development planning minister Paskah Suzetta rejected the idea. Politians in Tangerang supports the idea. Depok said no comment. But opposition comes from West Java and Banten provincial administrations. For sure, these provinces will not be easy to let their administrative areas 'acquired' by Sutiyoso's megapolitan concept. But some Regional Representative Council (DPD) members started to rally behind Sutiyoso.

How serious his bid for presidency?

Well, a newly established party called Partai Solidaritas Nasional (National Solidarity Party) announced early this year (January to be exact) its plan to name Sutiyoso for 2009 presidential candidate. Off course one might say, who the hell are the guys behind the new party? But Sutiyoso might expect a miracle like SBY with his Partai Demokrat (Democrat Party).

At least for now, we have one more possible candidate for 2009 election besides names like SBY, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Megawati Soekarnoputri (former president), Sutanto (National Police Chief, tipped by Amien Rais the former Assembly Speaker), and Hidayat Nur Wahid (Assembly Speaker).

One thing is clear, Sutiyoso silently established the network. Sutiyoso is the chairman of basketball association (Perbasi) and the most popular sport in the country, badminton association (PBSI).

Born in Semarang, December 6, 1944, Sutiyoso married to Setyorini with two daughters (Yessy Riana Dilliyanti and Renny Yosnita Ariyanti.

Graduated from National Military Academy, Sutiyoso hold an honorary doctorate in political science from Busan University, South Korea in 2001.

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Injury-time in Indonesia: A lucrative business

Few years ago, members of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) East Java chapter gathered in a hotel in Surabaya the night before the East Java governor election to ensure all PKB members in the East Java local legislature (DPRD) vote for Abdul Kahfi with the incumbent Imam Utomo as the contender.
"As most of DPRD members from PKB are ulemmas (Moslem clerics), the organizer of the event asked all of them to have Sumpah Pocong (swear to God and would be punished in hell) if they vote other candidate in the election," said a friend journalist who attended the event.
Former presdient and key patron of PKB Abdurrahman Wahid led the ceremony.
Kahfi was also formally endorsed by Golkar Party. Utomo, meanwhile, got PDI-P as the main sponsor with the smaller parties rally behind him. PKB had 33 seats at DPRD, slightly above PDI-P (31 seats). With Golkar's 11 seats, plus another 6 votes from other parties, Wahid and Kahfi side believed they could could 50 votes to make it draw.
Surprisingly Kahfi got only 34 votes in the election, consisted of 31 votes from PKB and 3 from Golkar, meaning two PKB members breached Sumpah Pocong. Utomo won the election unanimously with 63 votes. "That's because of some members finally put a price for their votes, and the closer the time to election, the higher the price. And minutes to injury-time, rumors said the price for one vote reached US$250,000," the journalist said.
That's how I start to think about the business of injury-time in Indonesian politics. Especially when I heard this week the CEO of a state-owned enterprise gave US$300,000 to a publication company only to 'protect' him from a possible indictment in a corruption case as other directors have been detained.
How about the mid-week move by five members of Regional Representative Council (DPD), five members of the House of Representatives (DPR), economists and students grouped in what they called Coalition to Save Cepu? Well, the group condemn government's signal to award ExxonMobil Corporation's subsidiary the right to operate the giant oil and gas field in Cepu, East Java. They urge government to give it to Pertamina instead. This weekend is the deadline for Exxon and Pertamina to settle the operatorship issue, an injury time.
The newly established group led by Marwan Batubara, a former staff at telecommunication company PT Indosat Tbk. Marwan is a DPD member representing Jakarta residents. Why all of a sudden Marwan speak out loud on Cepu issue while he should raise the issue of worsening traffic jam in Jakarta or other issues concerning Jakartans? Was it something to do with his close relationship with Widya Purnama, Pertamina's president director and Marwan's boss at Indosat?
Drajad Wibowo, DPR member from National Mandate Party (PAN) also join the group and rally behind Pertamina's directors. He would have better use his constitutional rights to summon government officers on the issue than join such group, I think.
And Fadhil Hasan, director of INDEF, a think tank established by some economists including Wibowo and Didik J. Rachbini (currently member of DPR). Did INDEF conduct a research on Cepu or simply took the secondary data from Pertamina? Why they simply believe? Had they try to get data from Exxon as well, a standard procedure for a group claimed itself a think-tank? Why now, not then? Where were all these guys during the four-year of public debacle over the Cepu issue and only shown up at injury time?
"Indonesia is in the transition period still and there are rooms for money politics still. But talking about money politics, it's everywhere, even in countries like US. Pressures groups are mushroomed, and it's a huge business. Some doing the business hit and run, others for a longer term and survive, but overtime they would levelling off in terms of the price tag," a friend consoling me.
I remember in the last few years some companies were established to organize public protest or demonstrations for certain issues. These companies could organize wide range of protests from those who just sit and raise the protest banners or the noisy ones. Some put the price tag at Rp50,000 per head count. Don't laugh. These guys could even offer package of media coverage. TV shoots were normally expensive, could reach millions of rupiah for two minutes display. Photo shoots could be Rp500,000 or less.
I didn't see much these days though. I'm not sure whether it's because of declining demand or oversupply. But media seems to have learnt something, knows what's genuine, and fewer journalists willing to cover such activities. And that could be the end of their businesses as the customers didn't get what they want anymore. Market mechanism works perfectly.
And that could be the case for those who run the injury time businesses with comments published in the media.
Anyway, just like in the football game, sometimes the coaches makes important decision, say replace one or two players with fresh ones from the bench, at injury time with the hope to score a winning goal. It's precious.

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