Indonesia's Presidential Election 2014

[Indos]

Lets talk about the third largest democracy Presidential Contest....


Indonesia’s Presidential Debate Surprises, Fails to Shake Supporters
Anita Rachman/Sara Schonhardt

JAKARTA, Indonesia–The first presidential debate ahead of Indonesia’s July 9 election offered some surprises, but failed to sway many supporters, a sign that the increasingly close contest could still go either way.

Prior to the event, analysts said leading candidate Joko Widodo would have to prove his ability as a public speaker and show he has what it takes to lead one of the world’s top 20 economies and its third-largest democracy, particularly if he wants to remain the man to beat.

His rival, hard-talking former general Prabowo Subianto, who has been closing in on Mr. Widodo’s once large lead, would need to prove he could keep his cool.

Many observers said Mr. Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, performed better than expected. The soft-spoken Jakarta governor is not known for his oratory skills and often says he prefers actions to words.

“All this time people said Jokowi couldn’t speak, but tonight, he showed otherwise,” said Rudi Susanto, a taxi driver who followed the debate.

Other analysts said it was Mr. Widodo’s running mate Jusuf Kallla, a past vice president during current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s first term, who stole the show.

Indonesia will hold its third direct presidential election since the ouster of autocrat Suharto in 1998 at a time when economic growth is starting to slow and corruption is a top concern among voters.

Indonesia’s Presidential Debate Surprises, Fails to Shake Supporters - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ

 

[Indos]

Some Background about Indonesia's Democracy

Indonesia, Islam belief and value.

Chapter 2: Religious Commitment | Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project



Democracy (started in 1998) and economic growth in Indonesia

 

[TejasMk3]

All the best for your elections, hope it is peaceful and brings a good stable govt!

 

[Indos]

All the best for your elections, hope it is peaceful and brings a good stable govt!

Thanks bro...insyaALLAH

 

[Indos]

Nationalist tone, protectionist promises, dominate Indonesia presidential debate
By Fransiska Nangoy and Jonathan Thatcher

JAKARTA Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:24pm EDT

(Reuters) - Indonesia's two presidential candidates traded nationalist rhetoric on Sunday in a debate ahead of July's election, with the front-runner suggesting he would make Southeast Asia's biggest economy more protectionist.

The tone of the debate, which focused on the economy and was the second ahead of the July 9 vote, is likely to add to concerns among foreign investors over how welcome they are in the resource-rich state whose fast growing, fast consuming, middle class is offering mouth-watering business opportunities.

"Every country has barriers ... (we can) make it a bit more difficult for foreign investors," front-runner Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said during the televised debate, in response to a question about the proposed opening up of Southeast Asian economies from next year.

"I believe our economy can grow by more than 7 percent (compared with little more than 5 percent estimated this year) with conditions. First, the investment climate has to be more open and let local investors create growth."

Some recent opinion polls have suggested his lead is narrowing against his rival, ex-general Prabowo Subianto who has adopted a heavily nationalist campaign from the outset.

It was a theme he repeatedly turned to in Sunday's debate.

"Our sources of wealth are controlled by foreign hands, foreign companies, so the wealth flows out from the country ... Indonesia's wealth should be controlled by our country," said a confident looking Prabowo, dressed in his campaign white safari shirt and wearing the national black "peci" hat.

By contrast, Jokowi, in a dark suit, looked more ill-at-ease than in the previous debate when he was accompanied by his running mate, Jusuf Kalla.

Kalla was widely seen to have helped win the first round by targeting Prabowo's controversial human rights record when he was a senior general.

Jokowi made an oblique jibe at Prabowo's periods living overseas, when he referred to his own upbringing and education as being entirely in Indonesia.

Prabowo is the son of one of Indonesia's best known economists and his brother one of its richest businessmen. His ex-wife, a daughter of former autocrat Suharto, sat in the front row with other members of his team.

Jokowi comes from a humble background, going on to develop a successful furniture business before moving into regional politics.

There were few surprises in the well-mannered debate and at one stage Prabowo crossed the stage to embrace his rival and express agreement with Jokowi's reference to the importance of a creative economy. Prabowo's only son is in the fashion business.

'A CONTRACT IS A CONTRACT'

Much of the debate focused on the need to raise up Indonesia's millions of poor, improve education and health care and to spend more on a ramshackle infrastructure that is dragging down productivity and scaring off investors.

Prabowo's insisted he was not against foreign investment but the possibility that he might become president has been weighing on both the rupiah and Indonesian share prices.

Whoever wins will take over an economy whose once stellar growth has started to slow and whose current account deficit remains stubbornly high.

The latter is in large part due to the country's massive fuel bill, exacerbated by costly fuel price subsidies that are sapping the state budget.

Perhaps surprisingly, neither candidate made a reference to the fuel subsidies whose eventual elimination would hit the poor hard but are seen as a priority to get national finances on track. Both candidates have in the past said they wanted to do away with the subsidies eventually.

"There was nationalistic rhetoric yes, but that has been a feature of the last two elections so I'm not surprised this is coming up. In the context of elections, candidates will try to avoid being portrayed as people who will sell out the country and both candidates did that tonight," said Paul Rowland, Jakarta-based political analyst at Reformasi Weekly.

"What was interesting was that Jokowi simply said 'a contract is a contract' and that contracts that have already been signed need to be respected. That should be comforting for investors."

It has become a central issue as the outgoing government battles with major foreign mining companies over contracts after it enforced in January a ban of exports of mineral ores, demanding instead they first be processed before shipment abroad.

(Additional reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor, Nilufar Rizki and Eveline Danubrata; Editing by Sophie Hares)

Nationalist tone, protectionist promises, dominate Indonesia presidential debate| Reuters

 

[Raphael]

Who will our Indonesian members be voting for?

@Indos @nufix @Reashot Xigwin

 

[Indos]

Who will our Indonesian members be voting for?

@Indos @nufix @Reashot Xigwin

He,he....according to the survey, Jokowi will win....

Personally, I like Jokowi and Yusuf Kalla more than Prabowo

@madokafc @katarabhumi @Jakartans@PkDef @Wahhab2701 @Dayax @MarveL@DarkElf @indonesia student
@Brainsucker ,@Daniel808 etc

 

[Brainsucker]

Jokowi for the president.

 

[Tshering22]

Thanks bro...insyaALLAH

You should make sure that you select a decisive government. Coalition politics will make your ruling party weak and therefore all decisions will slow down like how it was for us in the last 10 years. So please choose a pro-business minded, aggressive, dedicated leader with enough votes that he can take good decision for Indonesia.

 

[Indos]

You should make sure that you select a decisive government. Coalition politics will make your ruling party weak and therefore all decisions will slow down like how it was for us in the last 10 years. So please choose a pro-business minded, aggressive, dedicated leader with enough votes that he can take good decision for Indonesia.

Actually both of them are quite aggressive.......Our current president ,SBY, is the one who to be blamed for many things now, his administration is only good in its first term, in which he was still with Yusuf Kalla as his vice president

Anyway, thanks for your advice though

 

[Indos]

Joko Supports an Independent Palestine to Start Third Debate

By Josua Gantan & Andrea Wijaya on 08:12 pm Jun 22, 2014

(JG Screengrab)

Jakarta. Joko Widodo said he will fully support an independent Palestine should he be elected president.

Joko also says that Indonesia is a maritime nation, so Indonesia should concentrate on strengthening its naval power. To strengthen the nation’s defenses, the welfare of soldiers and their families is key, Joko said, as will be the modernization of Indonesia’s defense capabilities and its own defense industry.

Joko also stressed in his statement that he would protect Indonesian citizens all over the world, including domestic workers employed abroad.

Joko and Prabowo Subianto, his opponent, are discussing international affairs and national defense in the third presidential debate on Sunday.

Prabowo said his foreign policy will be based on domestic strength, and therefore he will concentrate on making sure that the Indonesian people are prosperous.

Foreign policy will depend on the domestic condition, he stressed.

“National security is rooted in our people’s prosperity and welfare. We will not be a dignified country if our people our poor. This is the foundation of my foreign policies,” Prabowo said.

Prabowo stated his oft-cited protectionist argument that too much of Indonesia’s wealth is being taken out of the country and that, consequently undermines Indonesia’s prosperity. Prabowo said he will address this issue should he be elected.

“Too much of our national wealth is flowing out overseas. Some people will not be pleased that I talk about this often. [But] if we secure our wealth … our people will prosper and our national defense will be formidable,” Prabowo said.

In his opening statement, Prabowo also said that if elected president, he will ensure that Indonesia fosters friendships with other countries.

“We do not want to have enemies. A thousand friends are too little, a single enemy is too many,” he said.

Prabowo also mentioned that he will not compromise on Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial rights. “Not even the smallest span of our land shall be taken away,” Prabowo said.

The debate is being moderated by Hikmahanto Juwana, a professor of law at the University of Indonesia.

Indonesians will vote on July 9 for the next leader to replace President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose second five-year term ends in October.

The debate is being held at Holiday Inn in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

@Hazzy997

 

[nufix]

Who will our Indonesian members be voting for?

@Indos @nufix @Reashot Xigwin

the one without westerners pulling their string on him

 

[Nike]

Both of them is not as capable as SBY. Amateurs, blatant public liar, doesn't have integrity, why we must got stuck with those two Clowns heh?

 

[Kompromat]

Who's the leading candidate?

 

[Indos]

Who's the leading candidate?

According to LSI (Indonesia survey body), a respected survey institution in Indonesia, Joko Widodo will get 45 % vote and Prabowo Subiyanto will get 38,7 % (conducted in 1-9 June 2014). There is one more debate. Quite good debate just like happening in USA. We have 4 round debate. 3 has been conducted.