News

As Indonesians Prepare to Vote, Analysts Consider Post-Election Conflicts

Jul 05 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Globe

Although this year’s election will be the third direct presidential vote for Indonesia, the element of the unknown — and its potential ripple effect — differentiates this one from the others, leaving analysts uneasy about the outcome.

Elections in the politically binary United States provide voters with an effective either-or choice for presidential candidates each cycle. Although there is always a small percentage who casts a “vote of principle” for a minority party, the public knows to expect a winner from one of the two majority parties.

Prabowo closing in on Jokowi

Jul 04 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The July 9 presidential election is set for an extremely tight race, as a recent poll indicated on Wednesday that only a 3 percent gap remained between presidential hopefuls Prabowo Subianto and Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

A joint survey by the Washington-based International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), which is affiliated with noted pollster Saiful Mujani, found that Prabowo had continued to gain in popularity.

Candidates to Appear at KPK for Wealth Audits

Jun 24 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Both presidential candidates and their running mates will file their net worth reports this week for audit by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party candidate Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Hatta Rajasa were scheduled to appear on Wednesday, with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) candidate Joko Widodo and his running mate JusufKalla scheduled for the day after.

“[We're] inviting the candidates [to the KPK headquarters],” commission spokesman Johan Budi said on Tuesday.

Young voters prefer Jokowi-JK pair: survey

Jun 24 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Young voters in the age group of 17 to 22 years prefer the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla pair to the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa duo for the presidential election scheduled on July 9, according to Polcomm.

Based on its recent survey involving 1.2 thousand respondents from 33 provinces in the country, 6.4 percent of the total of 46.4 percent of the Jokowi-JK pairs supporters were young voters while the rest were aged between 23 and 43 years, Polcomms researcher, Adhal Makkuraga Putra, remarked here on Tuesday.

PKB Aims to Take In 75% of Votes in East Java for Joko-Kalla Ticket

Jun 23 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. The National Awakening Party, or PKB, has set a goal to win at least 75 percent of the votes in East Java province for presidential and vice presidential candidates Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla in the July 9 election, according to party chairman Muhaimin Iskandar.

Muhaimin, who is also the minister for manpower and transmigration, said all of the party’s members and volunteers must act in order to achieve this goal.

UI comprehensive database on electoral politics goes online

Jun 23 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Center for Political Studies at the University of Indonesia (UI) has launched a comprehensive online database of statistics and analysis related to political studies.

The center’s research and data manager, Dirga Ardiansa, said the database, accessible through the website datapolitik.org/gis/puskapol/, provided information on the country’s political landscape in the forms of tables, info graphics and geospatial maps.

Presidential Poll Tides Turn for Prabowo

Jun 19 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

 

Jakarta. Indonesia’s pollsters are going into overdrive with the presidential elections drawing near.

Polls in March showed a sizable 26.6 percent lead for Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo over former general Prabowo Subianto. Now, with just over three weeks to go, that divide has narrowed to a mere 4 percent.

The immensely popular governor appeared to be the clear front-runner when he declared his candidacy in March and the so-called “Jokowi effect” swept the nation.

SBY Said to Be Losing Grip on Party’s Neutrality as Members Support Prabowo

Jun 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is seen losing his firm grip on the Democratic Party and its members, according to Yuddy Chrisnandi, a politician of the People’s Conscience Party, or Hanura.

Yudhoyono, who serves as Democratic chairman, has often said that the party would remain neutral ahead of the July 9 presidential election. However, some members have decided to express their personal support to Prabowo Subianto.

Violence in Indonesian Polls Portends Ill For High-Stakes Presidential Race

Jun 18 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud M.D., the campaign manager for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, has likened his campaign strategy to going to war.

And a war is what some observers fear, following a rousing comeback by Prabowo against his rival, Joko Widodo, in their second presidential debate on Sunday, and opinion polls that show the former military general closing the gap on, or even overtaking, the popular Jakarta governor.

Presidential candidates share thoughts on people’s economy in second debate

Jun 16 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The two competing presidential candidates, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Prabowo Subianto, focused on people-based economy in their second presidential debate held in Grand Melia Hotel in Jakarta, on Sunday evening. The two candidates, however, displayed clear policy differences in the debate broadcast live on Metro TV.

Farmers’ Association Endorses Jokowi at Monday Gathering

Jun 16 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) presidential candidate Joko Widodo accepted the endorsement of the Indonesian Farmers’ Association (HKTI) on Monday at the organization’s anniversary celebration at Balai Kartini convention center in South Jakarta, despite Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party candidate Prabowo Subianto’s longtime association with the group.

KPU to revise regulation on presidential election

Jun 14 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has announced its intention to revise the 2008 Presidential Election Law, which it deems has the potential to trigger discord.

“We will not file [a judicial review proposal to the Constitutional Court], because we agree that the problem lies in the law, but the KPU has the right to clarify the interpretation by revising a regulation,” KPU commissioner Ida Budhiati said as quoted by kompas.com on Friday.

Prospect of a presidential run-off looms large

Jun 13 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Although the July 9 presidential election features just two competing candidates, the General Elections Commission (KPU) is anticipating the possibility of a second round of voting as required by the current Presidential Election Law.

The KPU said on Thursday that in order to be declared the winner in the presidential election, a candidate must receive at least 50 percent-plus-one of the votes, while also garnering a minimum of 20 percent of the votes in more than 17 provinces.

Aburizal deemed a ‘liability’ to Prabowo-Hatta ticket

Jun 13 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie will be making less appearances on the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa campaign trail because of concerns his presence could adversely impact the pair’s efforts to win the July 9 presidential election, says a senior Golkar politician.

The chairman of the forum for Golkar’s regional chapters, Muntasir Hamid, said Aburizal was a “problematic” politician who could “drive away” voters.

Speculation Abounds on Question of Indonesia’s Next Cabinet

Jun 12 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. The campaign season for Indonesia’s presidential election enters a new phase this week with the media and observers alike speculating on who may occupy key cabinet posts, whichever candidate wins the race.

The strikingly different campaign teams behind the two tickets vying for the presidency offer a glimpse of which supporting members are most likely to become cabinet officials for the 2014-2019 period, in line with previous elections that saw the winners recruit most of their ministers from the very teams responsible for their victory.

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