Risma, Prita and the media Warief Djajanto Basorie  ;   The writer teaches journalism at Dr. Soetomo Press Institute, Jakarta

JAKARTA POST,  09 Maret 2014

                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                         

                                                                                                             

Incumbent governors, mayors and legislators standing for reelection are probably envious of Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini. Since being inaugurated as the chief executive of Indonesia’s second-largest city in September 2010, Risma has chalked up a laudable performance sheet. Her record as a high achiever with a pro-people, pro-green agenda has won her many accolades. Risma, 52 years old, makes early morning rounds on the street to fix problems on the spot. She transformed derelict city-owned land into 11 vibrant must-visit parks with different themes. Visitors can now enjoy WiFi, libraries and sports facilities. She won the coveted Adipura (green city) Award from the Environment Ministry. The London-based City Mayors Foundation, an international think-tank on good local governance, named her Mayor of the Month in February 2014. Her decisions regarding the environment, however, have stirred resentment from developers. She raised the tax on billboards intended to dissuade advertisers from constructing giant displays that visually blight urban space. She rejected a proposal for a cross-city toll road. She wants to build a streetcar system to serve as public transportation. Pro-investor factions in the City Council, including her own party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) have moved to impeach her. The last straw apparently came when Wisnu Sakti Buana, the chief of the PDI-P faction in the council who headed the impeachment drive, was named deputy mayor without the party consulting her. The move has been seen as an effort to undermine her authority from within. Under such political pressure, she hinted that she would resign. Up until then, it was a Surabaya issue. On Feb. 12, Risma granted a nationally broadcast interview on Mata Najwa on Metro TV. A tearful Risma gave a performance that riveted viewers akin to the late Princess Diana’s sole lifetime interview with Martin Bashir on BBC’s Panorama in November 1995. The upshot of the 90-minute interview was predictable. Awesometrics, a social media research firm, found 7.8 million Twitter accounts were following the conversation on Risma. People tweeted their admiration for Risma and expressed their hope for more leaders as sincere as her, reported Yustina Tantri, Awesomemetrics’ marketing communications officer. A likely happy ending came last week after PDI-P chair Megawati Soekarnoputri and Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited Risma. The three attended a seminar organized by Surabaya University. Risma’s narrative is similar to the case of Tangerang housewife Prita Mulyasari. In May 2009 Prita, then 32 years old and mother to a 3-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter, was jailed for libel after her email containing complaints about hospital treatment she sent to friends went viral. The dual issues of freedom of expression and Prita’s forced separation from her children triggered public outcry. Bloggers and tweeters demanded Prita’s release. The press, particularly television, gave wide coverage. The court released her pending a hearing in June that year. A Facebook group started a “Coins for Prita” campaign to cover her legal expenses. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which in September 2012 ruled in Prita’s favor. The common denominator in the Prita and Risma’s episodes is the role of the media. When the media reports that an injustice has been done, individual citizens and numerous sections of civil society demand redress. For Risma, the outcome is that she is one of very few elected public officials in the country who has amassed widespread public approval. The April 9 legislative election is a proving ground to test how much trust people have in the country’s political system. Twelve political parties are fielding candidates to secure a place in the 560-seat House of Representatives. Surveys have shown that voters will entrust honest, can-do, problem-solving candidates and public officials in the mold of Jokowi and Risma. The political parties must be able to convince voters that their legislative candidates are above self-interest. Their focus is on first-time and swing voters, those who have no party affiliation and may not vote. In the 2009 presidential election, 29 percent of eligible voters wasted their right apparently due to distrust and dismay. A likely test case to watch to measure trust in the April 9 poll is the race in Banten III electoral district, where Prita is contesting under the PDI-P banner. It will also be a test of how media savvy and shrewd candidates can be. ●