Gender Issues Not a Problem in Regional Elections

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — One of the interesting results of the 2018 regional elections is that the number of women who won the elections rose to 100 percent. In the 2017 simultaneous regional elections, there were only 15 women who won, while in 2018 the number jumped to 30 women. Gender issues were not a problem.

Activist and director of Wahid Foundation Yenny Wahid said that in the implementation of the democratic event, people tend to put gender issues under the performance of the candidates of regional heads.

"As long as the candidates show that they are able to bring positive change in people\'s lives, gender issues are no longer a problem. This shows that Indonesian society is more rational and progressive," Yenny said in Jakarta on Friday (29/6/2018).

"They can win because the candidates have done much in the party. There are party leaders, who have a lot of experience in managing the parties. There is maturity in managing the strategies. Moreover, they are also able to pick up programs that come into contact with the needs of the community, such as education and health," said Wahidah Suaib Wittoeng, a general election activist who is also a former member of the General Election Supervisory Board.

According to Kompas’ research and development division, based on the vote count of the General Election Commission (PKU) as of 2 p.m. on June, one woman has won a gubernatorial race, namely Khofifah Indar Parawansa, while in the previous year there were none. There are two female vice governors this year, namely Chusnunia (Lampung) and Sitti Rohmi Djalilah (West Nusa Tenggara). In 2017, only one woman became deputy governor.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Khofifah Indar Parawansa (center).

The number of women who will become mayors, regents or their deputies reached 27 people. Of that number, 14 women will lead regencies and cities in Java. More specifically, this time East Java will be the province with the most number of female leaders, with eight women.

East Java governor-elect Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who ran with Emil Elestianto Dardak, hopes that her victory in the 2018 East Java gubernatorial election was part of a chain to make East Java better, more superior and improve the welfare of the people.

For Khofifah and Emil, their campaign was part of Nawa Bhakti Satya, or nine priority work programs to build East Java.

Anna Muawanah, a candidate for Bojonegoro regent in East Java, will soon form a transition team to harmonize her political promises with the community.

"We will realize the political promises to the people of Bojonegoro. Nahdlatul Ulama [NU] and Marhaen can be a force that protects the whole society," said Anna, who ran with Budi Irawanto.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Gubernatorial candidate Khofifah Indar Parawansa (holding the microphone) is accompanied by deputy gubernatorial candidate Emil Elestianto Dardak as she gives a speech for leading in the East Java gubernatorial election in her home, Surabaya, on Wednesday (27/6/2018).

Furthermore, regarding the superiority of women candidates for regional heads, especially in East Java, Yenny said, it happened because of the factor of figures of each pair and political parties that support them.

"The victory of Khofifah over Syaifullah cannot be separated from the support of two big political parties with large bases in East Java. Nevertheless, the people or voters also still saw fighting figures, not just candidates who were backed up by the parties," she said.

In addition, said Yenny, debates among candidates, which were broadcast live by several television stations, also had a share in helping people make decisions about their future leaders. From the debates, people judged the Khofifah-Emil pair to be more competent.

(GAL/ACI/GAL/MTK)