Camelia - profile

Jeirry Sumampow

noreply@blogspirit.com (Camelia Pasandaran) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:43:00 -0700

My Jakarta: Jeirry Sumampauw

Jakarta Globe December 23, 2008 by camelia-pasandaran

Jeirry Sumampauw is the country coordinator for the People’s Voter Education Network, or JPPR. Although he has lived in Jakarta for 20 years, Jeirry prefers to think of himself as a visitor to the city rather than a permanent resident. When Camelia Pasandaran interviewed him by phone, he was on vacation in Puncak, West Java Province, with his wife and two daughters.

Are you from Jakarta?

No, I’m not. I was born in a small village in Minahasa, North Sulawesi Province, and spent my childhood and teenage years there.

When and why did you move to the capital?

I moved to Jakarta in 1989. I was only supposed to accompany my grandmother who wanted to visit her child in Jakarta. So I came to this city with her, but I did not return. A year later, I started to study at Jakarta Seminary College (STT Jakarta) just because my aunt, a pastor, wanted me to register there. I never wanted to be a pastor. So, my moving here was not by design.

What made you choose politics over being a pastor?

After I studied at STT Jakarta, I think that I wanted to be a pastor in a remote area, not in a city. After I graduated from the seminary, I felt let down by the synod, and I gave up the opportunity to be a pastor. But sometimes, I preach in churches. Basically, it’s not that different. Being a pastor, you have to read the Bible, and being a politician you have to understand the law.

How do you like working with non governmental organizations?

I’m not the type of person to have a regular job, working in an office. I have always enjoyed working for NGOs. My first experience was as a project officer at the Interfaith Dialogue Society, which led me to my work now at JPPR. Though financially it’s not very rewarding, I enjoy working there. I told my wife from the beginning that I was not destined to live a life of luxury.

What’s your vision as the head of JPPR?

I want Indonesia to be a “real” democratic country. By supervising the electoral process, we can play a significant role by ensuring democracy is consistently upheld. I see JPPR as society’s representative, urging the authorities to run the country along democratic principles.

What do you dislike most about the city?

The streets. Various people take advantage on the streets in negative ways, such as policemen and street singers. For example, the police use Lebaran to get money from those who break the traffic regulations. The other thing I dislike about living here is the heat and the bad pollution.

How do you get around Jakarta?

Most of the time, I use my motorcycle. Besides it is the only vehicle I can afford. It’s perfect for avoiding traffic jams in the city. It’s much more maneuverable than a car. Sometimes I use the busway.

What do you think of the plan to provide a special lane for motorcyclists?

I don’t think it’s going to work well. Motorcyclists are not disciplined because the government is never consistent in applying the regulations. Just look at the busway now, it’s getting worse and worse. At peak hours, the buses are so crowded. People still use it because they have no other option for traveling quickly from one place to another, but it’s not comfortable at all.

What would you do if you were governor?

I would reform the bureaucracy. The city’s local government officers have to be more serious about creating a sense of belonging among Jakarta residents. That’s the most vital thing. But most of the officers themselves have no sense of belonging. They lack spirit and do not adapt to modern technology, with money being their only motivation to work. We need to reform the system.

What do you consider to be the happiest time of your life?

My childhood back in my village. I spent a time a lot playing in plantations and swam in the river which is impossible now. My teenage years were also unforgettable. I used to climb mountains, mostly in West Java, every weekend. Sometimes I slept in church in the middle of the service because I was too tired after hiking.

Where do you spend your leisure time?

I go to cafes that provide free Internet connection with my friends. I love to chat with them, but it’s mostly work related. I also play badminton with my friends at STT Jakarta twice a week in the evenings.

Your favorite place to eat?

Manadonese restaurants. Sometimes I go to a restaurant near my office in Kramat V. I don’t know the name of it. Sometimes I go to Tinoor restaurant in Gondangdia.

Jeirry Sumampauw was talking to Camelia Pasandaran

Sasa Djuarsa Sendjaja: Giving the KPI back its teeth

noreply@blogspirit.com (Camelia Pasandaran) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:25:06 -0700

The Jakarta Post

Features - May 03, 2007

Camelia Pasandaran, Contributor, Jakarta

When Sasa Djuarsa Sendjaja was elected as the new chairman of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission last April 9, he was not given Julius Caesar's Roman Empire as the commission had been stripped of almost all of its powers, including the authority to issue permits as stipulated in the broadcasting law.

But that does not discourage the father of four, who believes that amending the broadcasting law would resolve the authority dispute once and for all.

"If the KPI doesn't have the authority to produce regulations and issue permits, TV stations will pay no heed to warnings issued by the commission against indecent TV programs," said Sasa, who holds a Ph.D in mass communications from Ohio State University.

The government virtually stripped the KPI of its powers after it issued regulations that effectively placed public broadcasting under its jurisdiction, a move seen by experts as running against the 2002 Broadcasting Law.

He said his commission would ask the House to amend the law and return the commission's authority and power. He did not give any timetable.

Sasa is not new to the TV industry. He conducted research on television for his thesis and dissertation and was a KPI member for the 2004-2006 period.

"I was thinking of returning to campus, but then I decided to stay on as there is lots of unfinished work at the commission," said the 58-year-old, who was a University of Indonesia lecturer before joining the KPI in 2002.

Sasa, who loves spending the weekend with his family, particularly expressed concerns over the violence, mysticism and explicit sexual material being shown on TV.

"Even in liberal countries like America, television programs have core values and moral messages," said Sasa, who did an internship research associate and program staffer at Channel 34 in Ohio .

The TV industry in Indonesia , according to him, has changed a lot since he carried out research on TV's implication for social communications networks in the 1980s. At the time, state-owned TVRI was the only TV station around and only a few houses had television sets.

Now as private TV stations grow and media moguls rise, TV stations seem to do everything they can to boost program ratings at the expense of the quality of the programs themselves.

"Broadcast media use scarce frequencies that belong to the public, therefore there must be a regulation for them to ensure it is used to serve the interests of the public. It is true that they need commercials to survive, but it should not be the main consideration in selecting programs to broadcast," he said.

Sasa, who was born in Garut, West Java , participated in the drafting of the broadcasting bill in 1998, and which the government enacted into law in 2002.

Looking back at the KPI's work in the first period, Sasa said the commission was in the middle of too many disputes with national TV stations and the government, preventing the commission from fully carrying out its mission to serve the public.

For this reason, Sasa feels that a shift in the commission's policies is a must.

"As for now, we don't want to make regulations on our own, we want to discuss with all the stakeholders, listen to their input and formulate the regulations together. It will not be a one-agency show," he said.

He admitted, however, that previous KPI members had done all these things before, but expressed optimism that the KPI under his leadership would yield more results as it aimed to destroy the communication breakdown between the government and media.

"Let just say we are more compromising. Life is not black and white. It is gray. The principle is a win-win solution for all."

According to Sasa, the KPI must communicate with its stakeholders through a sharing approach, not power.

"The essence of communication is sharing, the use of power cannot resolve problems," he stressed. He also said that the KPI needed to resolve the conflicts as soon as possible so that they could start their work.

Although he promised as "softer" approach, he said that KPI's vision of Indonesian broadcasting system would stay the same. Diversity and quality in programming as well as diversity in ownership and localized TV stations are still the goals of the KPI under Sasa's leadership.

Being friendly to the Information and Communications Ministry doesn't mean he is just going to stand still in the face of government efforts to silence the commission. In the near future -- after his judicial review is rejected by the

Constitutional Court

-- he will propose a judicial review to the Supreme Court against all government regulations which contradict the broadcasting act.

He also said that the KPI would effectively use a memorandum of understanding with the police that stated that the police would start the judiciary process if a TV station disobeys three consecutive warnings issued by the KPI.

"I don't care if the media are more afraid of the police than to us, as long as the regulations are obeyed," he said.

Aside from the content, Sasa said he wanted to enforce a stipulation in the broadcasting bill that basically "forces" Jakarta-based TV stations to team up with local TV stations if they want to enter local market.

Under the existing broadcasting law, all private TV stations are virtually local stations. Should they go national they have to set up local (provincial or regency) units or team up with provincial or regency TV stations. That stipulation, however, has not been implemented due to, among others, strong opposition from Jakarta-based TV stations.

Sasa said he would conduct a forum to discuss the issue so that Jakarta-based TV stations could talk face-to-face with local TV stations.

He expressed optimism that the discussion would succeed as the KPI was backed by local administrations, local parliament and local TV owners