About Myself

I was born in Tobea, South East Sulawesi, 12 March 1961. I’m married and I have three children.

Since October 2004, I’m in charge as the Deputy Speaker of The House of Regional Representatives of The Republic of Indonesia ( The Indonesian Upper House ) or DPD-RI, with key responsibilities in Foreign affairs, National and Local political affairs, legal drafting, oversight on the implementation of regional autonomy and development policies, social welfare, human rights, education and health. I am also the initiator of the establishment of The House of Aspiration Program in DPD RI which is funded by the World Bank through the Decentralization Support Facility. The House of Aspiration is a media to promote the local issues to become the national issues through DPD RI function in National level.

President and madam SBY, Vice President and madam Jusuf Kalla and DPD-RI Leaderships, took picture after the DPD-RI Plenary Meeting, 22 August 2008

I have a wide range experiences as a socio-politics and development observer, working with NGOs and also with Indonesian government , mostly in socio politics field. In 2003 – 2004, I was in charge as a Member of Constitutional Committee of the Republic of Indonesia, as an expert in Political Sociology. This committee was established by The People’s National Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia to review the amended the Indonesian Constitution. During 2002 – 2003 I was one of the members of Constitutional Committee of the Republic of Indonesia, as an expert in Political Sociology. In 2001- 2002, I was in charge as an expert for Poverty Reduction Strategic Program in Indonesia, attached to National Planning Agency of the Republic of Indonesia, sponsored by The World Bank (Jakarta office). In 2000, I was hired for three months as an expert for the Evaluation of Poverty Reduction Programs in Indonesia, (Central Sulawesi and Papua) sponsored by UNDP (Jakarta Office). In 1999- 2004 I worked as the National Coordinator of The Indonesian Forum for Transparency in Budget (FITRA). FITRA was a civil society group focused to the efforts of transparency of the state budget (both local and national levels) by conducting education and training for both NGO activists and civil servants to be keen in advocating transparency and participatory budgeting, as well as monitoring budgeting planning process and its implementation. All FITRA’s programs were sponsored by, among others, The Ford Foundation (Jakarta Office) and The Asia Foundation.

I was the Director, Center for Regional and Development Studies (PSPK), a Jakarta based NGO in the 1999 – 2004 period. PSPK has been focusing on the Regional Autonomy Research, Advocacy and Training for Budget Transparency, books printing, and many other activities. The Center programs were donated by, among others, US AID, European Union/Mission, The Ford Foundation, Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia, GTZ, The British Council. In 1989 – 1999 I became the Director of Institute for Social Economic Studies and Guidance (LEPPSEK), a Kendari (Southeast Sulawesi) based NGO. One of main program conducted by LEPPSEK was Sulawesi Agricultural Area Development Program (SAADP) in 5 years in South East Sulawesi (1996-2001), funded by The World Bank. LEPPSEK has been hired by the World Bank to mobilize facilitators for community participation in development.

I worked as a part-time journalist (Correspondent) for ANGKATAN BERSENJATA Daily a Jakarta based news paper), as well as a freelance contributor for a few printed mass media in Indonesia during 1987 - 1990. I also lent a hand as a social worker for about a year ( 1986 – 1987 ) for Non Formal Education Project in Southeast Sulawesi, funded by UNESCO through Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia

Field visit to Buton Raya, South East Sulawesi ), 12 - 14 September 2008, concerning regional development and expansion.

My formal educations were mostly in socio – politics fields, where I obtained my Bachelor degree in Community Development and Non-Formal Education at the Institute of Teaching and Educational Sciences, Jakarta in 1985. Then I continued my post graduate study in Sociology at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta and obtained my Master degree in 1995. Finally I earned my doctoral degree in 2002 from University of Indonesia, Jakarta, majoring in political sociology.

During my work experience, I was granted several fellowship programs where I was sponsored by The Rockefeller Foundation (USA) to study in LEAD (Leadership for Environment and Development), a Sustainable Development Studies, in Jakarta, Costa Rica, and Okinawa (Japan) from 1995 to 1997. The next year I was took part at International Visiting Program in USA on the USA Political System and Library Research on Social Movement at East West Center, Hawaii USA. A few years later in 2002 I was sponsored by Eisenhower Foundation, a Philadelphia USA based foundation, to join . Eisenhower Fellowship Single Regional Program for Emerging Leader, on Local Government Management and Accountability.
Listed below are my experienced in international conferences / workshops, bilateral visits and multilateral meetings.

a. Workshop/Conferences

2008

20 - 22 November 2008 : As a speaker ( as well as participants ) in the 8th Annual Meeting on PNoWB ( Parliamentary on World Bank ) in Paris

10 - 13 November 2008 : As a speaker ( as well as participants ) in the Accountability and Parliamentary Oversight Seminar, sponsored by World Bank, in Helsinki, Finland

Parliamentary Oversight Seminar - Helsinki

23 - 24 September 2008 : As a speaker (as well as participant) in The 6th Asian Women Parliamentarians and Ministers Conference, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as one of APPFD programs.

As a Speaker (as well as participant) in the 8th International Workshop on Scholars and Parliamentarians as one of IPU programs in Oxfordshire, UK and visited The House of Lords in London, UK.

With Lord Faukner of The House of Lords, UK.

2006
As a participant on the international symposium about Constitutional Reform in Pretoria, South Africa, sponsored by UNDP..


2005
As a participant in the international seminar on Parliamentarian at IPU head office in Geneva, sponsored by UNDP.

As a speaker in the International seminar on e-Parliament in Brussels, sponsored by UNDP.

As a speaker in International Symposium about Social Accountability in Bangalore, India, held by Institute of Public Affairs, sponsored by World Bank Institute.

2004
As a participant in the International Seminar on Parliamentary in Manila, sponsored by UNDP.

2003
As a speaker in the International Symposium about Budget Transparency in St. Petersburg, Russia, sponsored by The Ford Foundation..

2000
Comparative Study in field of the Public Service Appraisal in Bangalore, India, sponsored by The Ford Foundation.

1999
As a participant in a Workshop on Budget Transparency Movement in Goa, India, sponsored by The Ford Foundation


b. Comparative Studies and Bilateral Visits

2008
A head of The Indonesian Upper House (DPD RI) delegation visited Polish Parliament in Warsaw and Czech Parliament in Prague.

2007
As head of delegation of The Indonesian Upper House (DPD RI) Delegation visited for Germany Bunderstraat, Holland Erstekamer, and Belgium House of Representative.

With senator Hamdhani from Central Kalimantan, exchanging gift with members of the European Union Comission in Beligum

2006
As head of delegation of The Indonesian Upper House (DPD RI) on bilateral visit to the Parliament of Thailand.

2005
Together with the Official Representative of World Bank of Jakarta visited Kabul, Afghanistan for a comparative study mission on the National Solidarity Program (NSP) Afghanistan, sponsored by World Bank, Jakarta Office.

2002
A Comparative Study in field of Parliamentary Work and People Aspiration in UK (London and Scotland), sponsored by British Council.

c. Multilateral Meetings

2008
As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 16th APPF Annual Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand.

As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House in the Consultative Meeting DPD RI with Secretary General of IPU, Geneva, Swiss.

As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 119th IPU Annual Meeting in Geneva, Swiss.

2007
As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 15th annual meeting of APPF in Russia.

As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 117th IPU Assembly in Geneva.

2006
As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 115th Annual Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly in Geneva.

As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 7th AAPP Meeting in Tehran, Iran.

As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 27th AIPO Annual Meeting in Cebu, Philippine.

2005
As the head of delegation of the Indonesian Upper House for the 6th AAPP meeting (Association of Asian Parliamentarian for Peace) in Pattaya, Thailand.

Writing is the most effective way for me to share my opinions to the society, especially in socio politics area. So far, as a socio politics and development observer, I have written more than 300 articles on various actual-substantial issues in newspapers and magazines in Indonesia, both in English and Indonesian, as well as related papers delivered in the various seminars and workshops. Some of my writings have been published locally, there were NU Muda, Kaum Progresif dan Sekularisme Baru (Young Ulama, Progressive Group, and New Secularism), published by ERLANGGA Publishing Company, Jakarta 2004; Otonomi Daerah, Clean Government dan Demokrasi Lokal (Regional Autonomy, Clean Government, Local Democracy), published by PSPK, Jakarta 2000; NU, Elite Islam dan Negara (NU, Islamic Elite and State), published by Sinar Harapan Publishing Company, Jakarta, 1996.