Jakarta – Urban groups and non-governmental organizations are calling on gubernatorial candidates to accommodate the diverse needs of the city's inhabitants and uphold human rights in developing and managing the city.

The Alliance for Democracy Working Group – initiated by the Jakarta Residents Forum and Demos – said Friday a fundamental change in how the city was managed was needed as the current approach had marginalized the poor.

The alliance stressed the need for urban development that recognized plurality, was based on community and respected human rights principles. "Urban administrations must give equal access to education, health, employment and housing, including (bringing) a permanent halt to state evictions," the alliance said.

The alliance also said the current situation discouraged the public from voicing their aspirations and political views to the parties that were supposed to represent them.

"We may no longer be an authoritarian state, but the behavior of our political elites is in fact authoritarian and militaristic in nature," chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum Azas Tigor Nainggolan said.

Another suggestion to increase public participation was to reform the current gubernatorial election process by allowing independent candidates and local political parties to participate in the race.

"This is a long process, we are talking about 10 to 20 years before we see any improvement in political behavior," said politician Saiful Bahri.

Among the many issues that the current electoral process is facing, participants said, is the failure of political parties to educate the public to increase political consciousness and civic engagement. "Mainstream political parties have given mass political education a miss but it's just not on their agenda," Saiful said.

The democratization process in the country, Saiful added, had turned oligarchic, with a political system governed by only a few political elites, and the practices affected how parties reached out to their constituents.

"Mainstream political parties are only interested in maintaining political stability (so they) reject the participation of the public at large," Saiful said. "That is why they are apprehensive toward the concept of independent candidates and local political parties; they seek to alienate the public."