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B-movie actress nomination a publicity stunt: PPP
Jakarta Post - January 21, 2014
Speaking during an interview on Monday, PPP election campaign team (Bapilu) manager Fernita Darwis said the controversy over Angel's nomination could bring media attention back to the party, which had been struggling to maintain its popularity, especially after being mostly sidelined by the media in recent years.
"Many journalists, for example, have frequently told us that the PPP is not popular among media people because it fails to raise interesting issues," Fernita said. And Angel, who is a staple in gossip columns, could bring the much-needed attention.
"Such a controversy would not have materialize if she had joined other [nationalist] parties, like the Democratic Party (PD) or the Golkar Party. We realized that this [the controversy] is something we need to make the PPP a media darling once again," she said.
Angel is a swimsuit model and actress known for her suggestive performances in local horror movies. She also made headlines in gossip tabloids when rumors surfaced that she was the mistress of self-styled king of dangdut Rhoma Irama.
Angel, who is running as PPP's top candidate for the Central Java V electoral district covering Boyolali, Klaten and Sukoharjo regencies as well as Surakarta municipality, has become an object of scrutiny following her appearance in a political talk show broadcast by news channel MetroTV last week.
In the political talk show Mata Najwa, Angel gave a stuttered and halting response to questions posed by host Najwa Shihab about her motivation for contesting the 2014 general election.
One of the most embarrassing moments was when Angel, apparently running out of ways to respond to questions, said: "Regarding some of the issues, I haven't asked my party chairman, so I don't have my own opinion. I don't want to meddle in party affairs."
In spite of such a humiliation, Fernita said the PPP would not suffer. She said the party would make some surprise moves in the near future, following its success in securing the support of family members of former president and NU chairman, the late Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.
University of Indonesia political analyst Hamdi Muluk lambasted the PPP and other political parties that nominated candidates like Angel as a ploy to woo uneducated voters.
"In an election system that guarantees that all candidates have an equal opportunity to win a legislative seat, political parties must nominate candidates who are ready and capable to serve the public should they win their election bid," he said.
According to the list of legislative candidates published by the General Elections Commission (KPU) last year, only the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has not nominated celebrity candidates.
The list includes at least 44 celebrities who will have to compete for votes with regular politicians, non-governmental activists and former athletes in the general election.
Some of the controversial figures include lawyer Farhat Abbas, who has been nominated by the ruling Democratic Party to represent the Jakarta III electoral district covering North Jakarta, West Jakarta and the Thousand Islands.
The National Mandate Party (PAN) has nominated the most celebrities for the 2014 general election, including incumbents Primus Yustisio and former comedian Eko "Patrio" Hendro Purnomo.
Other celebrities recruited by PAN include former soap opera actor Desy Ratnasari, 1980s film star Marissa Haque, television personality Gading Marten and his wife Gisella Anastasia, former soap opera actor Jeremy Thomas and rock singer Anang Hermansyah.
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