The Capital Behind the Excellence of North Sulawesi Women

A five-hour journey along the Trans-Sulawesi stretch from Kotamobagu to the city of Manado, which spans about 180 kilometers, doesn't feel exhausting. The combination of smooth road quality and the lush foliage of local trees ensures the environmental quality of the "Land of Waving Coconut Trees" province remains relatively pleasing to the eye.

A week before the general election, traveling across the country becomes even more exciting. During that time, thousands of campaign billboards are displayed along the roads. Every political figure, whether they will compete in national political stages such as the DPR and DPD, or in local political competition as the DPRD, shows off themselves, waving and greeting whoever passes by.

Among the barrage of campaign banners and promotional materials, there is one that stands out the most. The presence of female politicians from North Sulawesi is more striking, amidst the banners featuring their male counterparts.

From the perspective of the amount of billboards, they are also abundant. Their pictures flood and capture the view. During elections, this is one of the special features of North Sulawesi. It could be that such a sight is not found in any other region.

“Here, many women are involved in politics. This is Vanda Sarundajang, member of the DPR, son of the late Sarundajang, former governor. If that one is popular, Hillary Brigita Lasut. "The father and mother are the regents," pointed out Jefry, the travel driver who was guiding the trip.

In fact, there are many female politicians in North Sulawesi. Referring to the candidate data established by the KPU, there are 42 out of 107 politicians (39.3 percent) who are female and are spread across 18 political parties participating in the election. This proportion is already above the minimum 30 percent representation of women outlined in the Election Law or Political Parties.

"Their presence has been evident since the implementation of the proportional representation system," said Ferry Liando, an academic and political observer at Sam Ratulangi University in Manado. Referring to Law Number 12 of 2003, this means that since the 2004 election, the quantity of female politicians has increased."

North Sulawesi women's political line

For North Sulawesi, it is not in vain that the policy of women's representation in politics is made. Interestingly, in this region, expectations for women's representation are not only answered in terms of the number or proportion of candidate legislators who are competing. The history of elections shows evidence of the success of Sulawesi women in taking the largest share of political positions. Clearly, this is a sign of the exceptional status of women in Sulawesi.

The Legislative Election of 2024 once again legitimizes the glory of women in North Sulawesi. The plenary recapitulation result of the vote count for the national House of Representatives and Regional Representatives Council shows that out of six seats contested by 107 legislative candidates, at least four seats were won by female politicians. Only two seats remain in the hands of male politicians in North Sulawesi.

Similarly, in the arena of competition among members of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI), three out of four members were won by women from North Sulawesi. Men only hold one seat in the DPD. Once again, women politicians are triumphant.

The success of women in North Sulawesi in dominating the political stage in this year's election is considered an impressive achievement. It is interesting to examine how female politicians in North Sulawesi are able to thrive in political competition.

According to Ferry Liando, the success of female politicians in North Sulawesi is attributed to the cultural environment that does not differentiate between the status and position of women and men. "The customs in this area do not place men in a more powerful position than women," said Liando.

As a comparison, Liando gave an example. In domestic affairs, especially in cooking for traditional parties, for instance, in many other regions, the kitchen is left to women, but it is not the case in North Sulawesi.

Instead, it is men who become head chefs. To be even more precise, Liando revealed, "Women in North Sulawesi are not only associated with beds, wells, and kitchens, but can also become leaders."

The cultural side may not be a political entry barrier for North Sulawesi women. However, other facts also show that it is not enough for women to have equal opportunities. The presence of other capital is still needed for women to become leaders. This kind of political capital is not all owned by politicians equally, and is also an obstacle for women in pursuing a political career.

Symbolic capital of North Sulawesi female politicians

One of the most notable assets, derived factors and social status become symbolic capital as well as political appeal. The emergence of young politicians in North Sulawesi who are successful in dominating political competition this time, for example, cannot be separated from their social status. The success stories of young politicians Hillary Brigita Lasut and Rio Dondokambey in winning the highest support in this election are clearly influenced by their parents' backgrounds.

Hillary's early appearance in the 2019 election cannot be separated from the figure of her father, Elly Engelbert Lasut, who has served as the Regent of Talaud Islands multiple times, and her mother, Telly Tjanggulung, who is also recorded as the Regent of Southeast Minahasa for the period 2008-2013.

Likewise, Rio Dondokambey is none other than the eldest son of North Sulawesi Governor Olly Dondokambey. In fact, the political relations of the Dondokambey family in North Sulawesi politics are not limited to the two figures of father and son. Olly's older sister, Adriana Charlotte Dondokambey, has now successfully won the DPD seat after being registered as a member of the DPR.

For women, lineage is one of the symbolic status and privilege assets in conquering political obstacles. It is not surprising if the introduction of a figure, as introduced by Jefry, a travel driver above, to his interlocutor, will not be separated from the shadow of mentioning the position of the parent's figure referred to.

On the other hand, the tendency for primordial factors to significantly influence various political contests in this country, including in Sulawesi Utara, can still be seen as a determinant of increasing support. Primordial factors such as regionalism and the beliefs held by politicians, for example, become influential factors that are utilized as political capital.

By observing the accumulation of voter support for each candidate contesting in Sulawesi Utara, it is clear that the largest support base for each individual comes from their place of birth or ancestral roots. In the race for seats in the Regional Representative Council and the House of Representatives in Sulawesi Utara, the level of support for each candidate seems to be distributed amongst regions.

The confinement of this region is like a political stronghold of Minahasa, including Minahasa, South Minahasa, North Minahasa, Southeast Minahasa, the city of Manado, and Bitung; the Sangihe Islands and Talaud regions; as well as the Bolaang Mongondow region, including Bolaang Mongondow, South Bolaang Mongondow, East Bolaang Mongondow, North Bolaang Mongondow, and Kotamobagu.

In the context of political competition, these derivative and primordial regional factors can be leveraged into a social capital network that strengthens the position of each political contestant's support. When winning a seat in the DPR in the 2019 elections, for example, the PDI-P candidate at that time, Adriana Dondokambey, received significant support in the Minahasa and Manado regions. However, there was not much support obtained from the Bolaang Mongondow area and surrounding regions.

The similar conditions led Vanda Sarundajang to be elected to the DPR. Meanwhile, Hillary Lasut is building her support base in Talaud Islands, Manado, Minahasa, and Southeast Minahasa. In this election, Adriana's advantage in winning the DPD seat and Hillary's domination in gaining the highest support in the DPR are inseparable from their advantage in their regions that are closely related to their social identities.

Quality of individual female politicians in North Sulawesi

The question is, whether the entire success of female politicians in North Sulawesi is solely caused by their inherited assets? Not necessarily. It is suspected that the success of female politicians in North Sulawesi is also influenced by the quality of individuals they display and empower. Various cultural assets such as educational degree and intellectual quality also become an attraction.

In addition, it cannot be denied that the physical appearance and stature of female politicians also serve as a strong asset that reinforces their value. According to Ferry Liando, the factor of physical appearance is considered to have a significant influence on political preferences, especially among the majority of voters currently dominated by the Z and millennial generations.

In North Sulawesi, the facts show that apart from the many female legislative candidates who were elected, it was found that legislative candidates from the generation Z age category were also dominant. "They were elected because the majority of voters tend to be influenced by the physical condition of legislative candidates," said Liando.

Also read: North Sulawesi Women Play in Politics

With various skills and capabilities, female politicians from Sulawesi Utara can utilize their political capital to dominate the political arena. Moreover, with their economic power, which is also a key determinant of success in this election, they are well-positioned to compete effectively.

With this success, voters can't wait to see how the continuation of female politicians from North Sulawesi, who have proven their success in the national political stage, will unfold. (RESEARCH KOMPAS)

Also read: North Sulawesi Women Take Part in Politics