News

Backlash Begins as Rivals Remind Joko of Promises Made

Mar 19 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. With Governor Joko Widodo the frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election, politicians from opposing parties have started to get jittery and are launching attacks against his performance as governor.

National Mandate Party (PAN) chief of advisers A.M. Fatwa, who initially supported Joko in the race for Jakarta’s governorship, said that all the promises that Joko made during his campaigns were simply image-building.

PKS Chief to Answer to Govt Poll Watchdog for Using Children in Campaign Rally

Mar 19 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. The Elections Supervisory Body, or Bawaslu, says it will question Anis Matta, the president of the Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS, over the alleged involvement of minors in a campaign rally.

“Based on evidence we have from our investigation, Anis Matta has deliberately involved underage individuals in the party’s campaign rally, therefore we plan to summon him and he will be sanctioned according to the law,” Muhammad, the Bawaslu chief, said on Tuesday.

Vote buying detected during campaigns

Mar 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Election Supervisory Committee (Bawaslu) says that it has found indications of vote buying involving various political parties during the first two days of the 2014 legislative election campaign period.

However, Bawaslu chairman Muhammad declined to name the political parties concerned.

“Bawaslu has found indications of vote buying but we cannot yet publicize them. They are still being examined,” he said in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

Aburizal sets off to campaign in E. Jakarta

Mar 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

A white helicopter carrying Golkar chairman and presidential candidate Aburizal Bakrie and his entourage landed on a soccer field in the Ciracas Sports Complex in East Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.

The helicopter took him from Bogor, West Java, where Aburizal started his campaign on the third day of the national campaign period.

He arrived one-and-a-half hours later than his scheduled arrival time of 1 p.m, while thousands of Golkar supporters had flocked to the complex since 11 a.m.

Risk of Electronic Ballot Stuffing Flagged

Mar 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

For much of last year, the biggest concern about the elections due to get underway in just a few weeks’ time centered on the voter rolls and their ranks of so-called ghost voters — fictional or ineligible entries that could be used for ballot stuffing.

With the campaign season now underway, the focus has shifted to the age-old practice of vote buying.

Despite Scandal, Indonesia Election Could Entrench Political Dynasties

Mar 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Makassar. In this is a scrappy, traffic-choked port city in South Sulawesi, everybody knows your name. If, that is, your name is Limpo.

The family of Syahrul Yasin Limpo, the second-term governor of this resource-rich Indonesian province, has dominated local politics for three generations, and a fourth waits in the wings.

Eight of Limpo’s close relatives will run in the country’s parliamentary elections on April 9: two sisters, one brother, two brothers-in-law, two nephews and a daughter.

Electioneering In Full Swing As Parties Seek To Gain Votes

Mar 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

On the second day of this year’s election campaign, the elites of various political parties have tried to convince people to vote for them in the upcoming polls.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, chairman of the Democratic Party, said his party wanted to ensure that the situation in Indonesia continues to improve in the next five years.

Dahlan Officially Joins Democrats

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Dahlan Iskan, the most popular contender in the Democratic Party convention, has officially joined the party.

The state-owned enterprise minister announced his decision to officially join the Democratic Party in front of his supporters in Magelang, Central Java on Sunday.

Dahlan said he finally made up his mind about joining the party after witnessing the efforts made by his supporters, which have made him the strongest contender for the convention according to various survey.

“The difference with another contender is quite sharp,” he told Tempo newspaper.

Behind Failing House, Dodgy Candidates

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

“I want to apologize for not having done much in the past five years,” legislator Rieke Diah Pitaloka told a crowd of young people during a youth event in South Jakarta last December.

“As long as there are laborers being treated unfairly, I haven’t succeeded in my job as a politician,” she continued.

“As long as there are Indonesian migrant workers being sentenced to death in other countries, we haven’t succeeded. As long as there are poor people being refused treatment in hospitals, we haven’t succeeded.”

Aburizal not worried about Jokowi’s electability

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie, who is also the party’s presidential candidate, has said he is not worried about the high electability rating of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) presidential candidate, by several surveys.

“Pak Jokowi is my good friend and my younger brother. I know him well. Everything is normal during such a contest,” Aburizal told journalists on Monday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

He was speaking before attending an open campaign at Kuncup square in Pringsewu, Lampung.

Banned, but vote-buying still plagues Indonesia's election process

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

When lawyer Taufik Basari visited constituents in his Jakarta district to distribute leaflets telling them why he deserved their vote, many asked him why the envelope was missing.

"Some residents opened the fold of the leaflet, expecting to find money, and asked 'Pak, where is the envelope?'," said the 37-year-old first-time legislative candidate for the National Democratic Party (NasDem). "They are still expecting cash or generous handouts of groceries. But I tell them, a political office is a mandate. That cannot be bought - it is priceless."

PAN sues KPU for alleged wrongful disqualification

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The National Mandate Party (PAN) says it has filed a lawsuit against the General Elections Commission (KPU) for disqualifying the party from the legislative election in Pelalawan regency, Riau.

“PAN has filed the lawsuit,” said party chairman Hatta Rajasa after campaigning in Batam, Riau Islands, on Monday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

1,500 ballots returned to PPLN London

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Around 1,500 of a total 7,000 ballots mailed to Indonesian citizens living in the UK and Ireland by the Overseas Election Committee (PPLN) in London have been returned back to the office.

PPLN staff member Al Khanif said in London on Monday, as quoted byAntara news agency, that the 1,500 ballots had been returned to sender – the PPLN office – as the addresses of some of the intended recipients may have been incorrect, while other recipients may have moved.

He said UK post offices usually returned letters that could not be delivered to an intended recipient to the sender.

Joko Joining Race Boosts PDI-P

Mar 17 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Indonesia’s biggest opposition party kicked off its campaign for the country’s parliamentary elections with a head start after nominating Jakarta’s popular governor for president.

Twelve parties will vie in an April election for spots in the 560-seat parliament where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party is now the biggest single entity with 26 percent of seats. The coming ballot may see that advantage eroded as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, and its presidential candidate Joko Widodo lead in opinion polls.

Campaign won’t disrupt Jokowi’s duties as governor: PDI-P

Mar 16 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) says that campaigning will not disrupt presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s duties as the Jakarta governor.

“Campaign activities will not be disturbing Jokowi’s duties as a governor as he will campaign only on Saturday and Sunday,” said PDI-P deputy secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto in Jakarta on Sunday, as quoted byAntara news agency.

He said the PDI-P had never asked Jokowi to campaign for the party on weekdays as this would disturb his work as Jakarta governor.

Jokowi’s supporters spread Megawati’s message

Mar 16 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) presidential candidate, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, have distributed leaflets containing the endorsement by the party’s chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Jakarta governor.

“I, Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, mandate party official Ir. Joko Widodo to be the presidential candidate of the PDI-P,” said the leaflet distributed by the party supporters in Jakarta on Sunday, as quoted by Antara.

Popularity isn’t everything, says Dems

Mar 16 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Democratic Party executive chairman Syarifuddin Hassan says popularity is not the only thing a presidential candidate must acquire to be successful.

“Popularity isn’t everything. It’s not the only thing you need to win people’s hearts,” he said in Jakarta on Saturday, commenting on the official declaration of Jokowi as a presidential candidate.

Syarifuddin, who is also cooperatives and small and medium enterprises minister, said Jokowi always came in first when it came to popularity. The Jakarta governor, he said, was widely known by the public.

Indonesia needs tax-savvy leader: NGOs

Mar 16 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

A coalition of Jakarta-based NGOs has called on presidential aspirants to publicly share their plans on how to increase tax revenue, as the country is in dire need of public support to finance its future development.

The coalition, known as the Independent Commission for State Budget (KAI), said presidential hopefuls, for example, must reveal their target on the level of tax revenue-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, or tax ratio, should they become official candidates.

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