EAST JAVA: FEMALE CANDIDATES UNAFRAID OF COMPETITION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000023

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SUBJECT: EAST JAVA: FEMALE CANDIDATES UNAFRAID OF COMPETITION

REF: 08 SURABAYA 94

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1. (SBU) Summary: East Java's female legislative candidates
are not worried about their ability to compete in upcoming
national elections despite the effective cancellation of a quota
requiring that women account for 30% of candidates. More than
gender, a lack of experience and education are the key hurdles
according to female candidates we spoke with at two recent
election-related events in Surabaya. End Summary


2. (SBU) During a March 3 luncheon at the Consul General's
residence and a March 6 public forum for female candidates held
in Surabaya, candidates were unified in the view that they can
compete effectively in the April legislative elections.
Candidates and cadres from eight political parties described the
future impact of gender on political campaigns after a December
2008 decision by the Constitutional Court rendered moot a 30%
quota for women candidates. Now parties must give seats to
candidates selected by voters not the party leadership. During
the 2004 election, parties with the most votes chose
officeholders from among their rank-ordered list of candidates.
This year, party slates were fixed in October, prior to the
December 2008 move to direct election of legislators.
Candidates will now appeal directly for votes rather than
battling for position within their party. How this might change
individual campaign strategies and effect the representation of
women is unclear. This year, 35% of Indonesia's 11,300
legislative candidates are women.

Islam and Gender Politics
--------------


3. (SBU) Yulyani, a sitting local parliamentarian and vice
mayoral candidate from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS),said
religion, not gender, is the key concern of the electorate. She
warned that carping about women's marginalization only leads to
more of the same and robs focus from issues of universal
concern. Yulyani emphasized the need for the candidate to be
assertive and overcome feminine stereotypes.


4. (SBU) There is a clear difference in perspective about the
impact of Islam on gender and politics among political parties
that try to appeal to Muslim voters. Questions from the floor
at a March 6 forum on Women in Politics organized by Surabaya's
Airlangga University pointed out the contradiction between the
liberal aspirations of female PKS candidates and their party's
conservative views of women's roles in society. In the recent
gubernatorial election, PKS refused to support the female
candidate specifically because of her gender (reftel). In
previous discussions with the Consulate, PKS party cadres have
admitted that East Java's traditional local culture with its
influential religious leaders (Kiai) is a barrier to the success
of PKS more broadly. The cosmopolitan Islamic conservatism of
PKS cadres often clashes with the hierarchical Javanese
traditions of rural East Java.


5. (SBU) Two candidates from the United Development Party (PPP)
explained that their party exemplifies this more traditional
East Java-style politics. Many of PPP's female candidates are
daughters of well-respected Kiai (Islamic clerics) and are
automatically part of the informal political structure of East
Java. PPP is counting on name recognition and family
connections to give their female candidates a leg up.
Paradoxically, these PPP candidates said that voters who respect
the daughter of a Kiai might also be reluctant to fully accept
women as leaders, outside traditional gender roles.

Newest Parties Are Optimistic
--------------


6. (SBU) All the guests at the luncheon agreed that female
candidates can compete and win as demonstrated by the tiny
margin of defeat suffered by East Java's first female candidate
for governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa (reftel). The reasons
for optimism are best described by representatives from two of
Indonesia's newest parties, Gerindra and Hanura. Their
candidates told us that providing competent female candidates
should be sufficient to gain some ground on established parties.
Gerindra has put female candidates at the top of its party
slate in two legislative districts in East Java and three in
Surabaya.


7. (SBU) Candidates from Indonesia's newest parties have to
promote themselves and their party at the same time. Ms. Lilik

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of Hanura (a secular, nationalist party headed by former General
Wiranto) spent two months promoting her party prior to being
named a candidate. Lilik said that skills built while the head
of a small business association easily transferred to politics.
She is optimistic of her chances and said many of her male
opponents aren't bothering to reach out. Dr. Wike is a dentist
and member of Gerindra (a secular nationalist party headed by
former General Prabowo). Dr. Wike suggested that Indonesian and
particularly Javanese culture continues to limit women to fixed
professional roles outside the home like teaching and nursing.
Women must make a special effort to gain political skills, but
it can be done. Ms. Yayuk a bakery owner and another Gerindra
legislative candidate, underlined the importance of practical
experience and self-confidence gained from dealing with the
public.

Qualifications not Quotas
--------------


8. (SBU) While the quota system provided opportunities and
experience to female candidates, many agreed that some poorly
qualified female legislators were elected and this damaged the
image of all female politicians. Yulyani observed that one of
her four female MP colleagues in the Surabaya Legislature has
never expressed an opinion publicly and is little more than a
note taker for her party. Only two of the four contribute to
the decision making process, according to Yulyani.
MCCLELLAND