Margareth Aritonang and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – Corruption suspects, television personalities, dangdut stars and the police officer better known as the Bollywood cop are topping the veritable rogue's gallery of potential legislative candidates submitted by political parties to election officials.
Parties submitted to the General Election Commission (KPU) on Sunday their lists of prospective candidates for each of the nation's 560 electoral districts in anticipation of elections for the House of Representatives in 2014.
A senior Democratic Party official said that the party had forwarded the names of 133 of its 148 incumbent lawmakers for reelection next year, including Max Sopacua, Saan Mustopa, Sutan Bhatoegana and Johnny Allen – all of whom have been implicated in graft cases.
"Our lawmakers have built relationships with the people," Democratic Party executive chairman Syariefuddin Hasan said on Sunday. "They have also had experience on how to do their jobs, which will help them to improve their performance as well as the party".
"We are still a clean, civilized and intelligent party," Syarief added.
Lawmaker and party deputy executive chairman Max Sopacua was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin alleged that Max accepted funds embezzled from the construction of the athletes village for the SEA Games in Palembang, South Sumatra.
Some incumbent lawmakers endorsed by the Golkar Party were Setya Novanto, Kahar Muzakir, Bambang Soesatyo, Aziz Syamsuddin and Chairunnisa, all of whom were also implicated in graft cases. Setya and Muzakir were implicated in the National Games (PON) graft scandal.
KPU commissioner Hadar Navis Gumay said that there was little that the commission could do to block the reelection bids of lawmakers involved in graft. "Under KPU regulations, the KPU cannot deny them the opportunity to register as candidates before they have been proven guilty."
Hadar said that the KPU would even have to approve the candidacies of corruption convicts if they could prove that they have completed their sentences.
Political parties on Sunday also forwarded the names of celebrities as potential candidates.
Golkar Secretary-General Idrus Marham announced on Sunday that Golkar had forwarded the name of television presenter Charles Bonar Sirait to the commission. If elected, Charles would join the ranks of the famous-turned-politicians in the party, including actress Nurul Arifin, quiz show host Tantowi Yahya and 1960s folk singer Tetty Kadi.
Meanwhile, former police officer Norman Kamaru, better known as Briptu Norman, the Bollywood cop, who shot to fame after a video of showed him singing Shahrukh Khan's "Chaiyya Chaiyya" went viral in 2011, was nominated as a legislative candidate by the National Mandate Party (PAN) to represent Gorontalo.
The NasDem Party also nominated celebrities, including actor and model Donny Damara, actress Jane Shalimar, hip-hop singer Melly Manuhutu, former national badminton player and Olympic gold medalist Ricky Soebagja and former national soccer squad coach Nil Maizar.
"They have their own character and are capable of voicing the people's aspirations," NasDem Party secretary-general Rio Patrice Capella told The Jakarta Post. "For example Ricky and Nil know exactly about sports and are fit for House's sports commission."
The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) recruited four celebrities as legislative candidates: model Ratih Sanggarwati, pop singer Emilia Contessa and dangdut singers Cici Paramida and Angel Lelga.
The party, led by Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali, also nominated Munarman, the controversial spokesman of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI).
Political analyst Arie Sudjito of Gadjah Mada University's school of social and political sciences said the recruitment of celebrities indicated a failure to nurture quality politicians, one of political parties' most important functions in a democracy.
"Our democracy is becoming more superficial," Arie told the Post. "Many of these celebrities don't represent the identity of the parties themselves." (ian)