VZCZCXRO7174
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0023/01 0710723
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120723Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0373
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0179
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0358
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0379

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000023 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL ID
SUBJECT: EAST JAVA: FEMALE CANDIDATES UNAFRAID OF COMPETITION 
 
REF: 08 SURABAYA 94 
 
SURABAYA 00000023  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
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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 
 
SURABAYA 00000023  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
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