Riverside women’s voices on the elections

With 38 political parties participating nationally, and thousands of legislative candidates, the upcoming elections in Indonesia may be seen as a sign that democracy is deepening. Yet for some, the elections are overwhelming if not confusing. Such applies to four Javanese women living on the banks of the Kali Brantas river in Malang, East Java, whom we asked to comment on the upcoming election.

Erni Lukianti (45), Widianti, Trisetyorini (45), and Frisya Dianita (28) are overwhelmed by the amount of parties and legislative candidates competing for their vote. They are residents of Jaksa Agung Suprapto Street on the Kali Brantas riverside in the city of Malang. They live in an underserved area in the centre of Malang, right across the prestigious Kartika Graha and Trio Indah hotels and a McDonald's restaurant. About 50 families live in the area. Some of them work as cleaning service personnel in the nearby Saiful Anwar Hospital. Others work as security guards, rickshaw drivers, parking officers or food sellers.

Since the alleys are very narrow, there are no playing grounds for their children and, as Widianti indicates, it is very difficult to expand their houses. "There is neither room in the backyard nor at the the front", she says. All they can do is build and maintain simple houses with two or three floors.

Erni chairs a local chapter of the PKK – a women's organization. During the day, she works in the garment industry, where she designs patterns and coordinates delivery services. She earns Rp 15,000 (about USD 1.5). Even though Erni admits that this is quite a low salary given her responsibilities, she says it is enough to sustain the basic needs of herself and her four children. As she puts it, “it is better than being jobless”.

Erni’s neighbor Widianti is a housewife whose husband works as a security officer. Both Erni and Widianti are overwhelmed by the amount of parties and legislative candidates competing for their vote. “I am still undecided” Widianti says. "Most candidates promise too much to be true" observes Erni. That is why Erni is inclined to lean to the view that she wants nothing to do with whoever will be elected. “The most important thing for me is that candidates don't lie. We are already tired of the promises!”.

Trisetyorini – better known as Rini – and Frisya too are still undecided about the upcoming elections. When asked about her favourite candidate, Rini mentions the incumbent President Yudhoyono. When Rini realizes that on April 9 it are not the presidential but, rather, the legislative elections, she laughs and says: “I don't know the legislative candidates, there are too many of them”. 

Likewise, Frisya has no idea yet as to which legislative candidate she should choose. She concludes that the most important things she expects from a candidate is that he or she is in favour of measures that reduce food prices, increase employment, and promote free education and health services for all. (Any Rufaidah, Malang)