News

Golkar punishes pro-Jokowi dissidents

May 28 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Golkar Party central board has penalized some of its politicians after they came out in support of the presidential bid of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who was nominated by rival the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Some senior lawmakers will be stripped of their posts in key commissions at the House of Representatives.

Platform Politics: Where the Presidential Candidates’ Stand on Key Issues

May 28 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

While TV pundits and social media commentators have been busy hashing out the personality differences between presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto and Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, little has been said about either side’s policies and platforms.

To that end, the Jakarta Globe presents a rough guide to the issues that matter:

Prabowo-Hatta:

Coalition promises votes for Jokowi-Kalla

May 27 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)-led coalition, which supports presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his running mate, Jusuf Kalla, have reiterated their determination to secure millions of votes to help the pair win the presidential election.

Muhaimin Iskandar, chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), one of the coalition members, said his party alone would secure 12 million votes for Jokowi-Kalla.

National Democratic Party Holds National Meeting

May 27 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. The National Democratic (Nasdem) Party held its national meeting on Tuesday to outline its campaign strategy in support of Joko Widodo’s presidential bid.

“We will try our best with body and mind to ensure a win for Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla in the upcoming election,” Nasdem Party chairman Surya Paloh said on Tuesday. “The election is only 43 days away.”

GP Ansor throws weight behind Jokowi for president

May 27 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Semarang, Central Java (ANTARA News) - The Central Java provincial chapter of Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) of Nahdatul Ulama, the countrys largest non political Islamic organization, said it threw its weight behind Joko Widodo (Jokowi), one of two candidates to contest the presidential election on July 9. 

"GP Ansor is solid behind Jokowi and his running mate Jusuf Kalla (JK)," Jabir Alfaruqi, who is chairman of the campaigning team for Jokowi-JK from GP Ansor in Central Java. 

Negative campaign to spice up presidential election: Dewi Motik

May 27 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chairman of the Indonesian Womens Congress (KOWANI) Dewi Motik Pramono said that negative campaign is a normal phenomenon during presidential election.

"Negative campaign is to spice up the implementation of election 2014. So for presidential and vice presidential candidate do not be afraid, especially if you are not wrong," he said when met at KOWANI headquarters here on Tuesday.

Gerindra-led coalition to counter issues on human rights abuses

May 25 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

An official of the Gerindra Party-led coalition campaign team has said they are preparing a special task force to counter issues surrounding the alleged involvement of the coalition’s presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in a number of past human rights abuses.

The team says the allegations have been used as a tactic to discredit the presidential candidate.

“We are ready to counter the allegations because people are smart enough to understand right from wrong,” said campaign team member Ahmad Riza Patria in Jakarta on Saturday as quoted by tempo.co.

Moeldoko urges regulation to ensure TNI neutrality in election

May 23 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Moeldoko said he had requested the government to issue a regulation- in- lieu- of-law (Perppu) in order to guarantee TNI neutrality during the upcoming presidential election on July 9.

"The existing law only regulates military neutrality during the legislative elections, not the presidential election. Therefore we should push the government to issue a regulation right away, “he said on Friday.

Golkar’s Jokowi supporters unmoved by dismissal threat

May 23 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Young Golkar Party politicians have vowed to support the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) presidential ticket of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Jusuf Kalla despite threats of dismissal. 

Earlier this week, scores of young Golkar politicians publicly declared their support for Jokowi, opposing the mandate of party chairman Aburizal Bakrie to endorse the Gerindra Party’s Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa presidential ticket. 

Golkar advisory council head Akbar Tandjung lashed out at the dissenting members and threatened to fire them. 

Indigenous Peoples Alliance Endorses Joko-Kalla Presidential Ticket

May 23 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

 

Jakarta. The Alliance of the Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN) on Friday officially announced that it would back Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla for the country’s top posts, marking the first time the organization had formally supported any presidential ticket.

“Joko is the only candidate who has not [spurred] controversy with indigenous peoples,” said Abdon Nababan, AMAN’s deputy secretary general, at the Ibis Hotel in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

Gerindra convinced of press freedom under Prabowo’s leadership

May 22 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Gerindra Party says presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto will guarantee the freedom of the press in Indonesia, and is convinced that under his leadership, there would be no more restrictions on press freedom, such as those seen during the New Order era.

“If Pak Prabowo is elected president, I’m sure that we would enjoy much more press freedom,” Gerindra’s patron council member Martin Hutabarat said on Wednesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

With Akbar Threatening to Fire Dissenters, Party Vets Say Division Is Normal

May 22 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
Jakarta Globe

Golkar Party lawmaker Poempida Hidayatulloh has lashed out at the party’s chief advisor Akbar Tanjung for his double standards related to members who refuse to follow the party’s decision to support Great Indonesian Movement Party, or Gerindra, presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Hatta Rajasa.

Poempida, who supports Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) presidential candidate Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi, and his running mate, former vice president and former Golkar chairman, Jusuf Kalla, described Akbar as inconsistent and discriminative.

Anies Baswedan joins Jokowi camp

May 22 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Paramadina University rector Anies Baswedan has announced that he will support the presidential and vice-presidential candidacies of Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo and Jusuf Kalla. He said the sole reason behind his decision was the belief that Indonesia needed a fresh figure with integrity to take the lead.

“We are in need of a new leader with a clean track record and committed to the graft-eradication movement,” the former head of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) ethics council said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Thursday.

Bawaslu urged to monitor candidates’ supporters

May 22 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The Election Supervisory Committee (Bawaslu) should monitor the supporters of each candidate contesting the upcoming presidential election as with only two contenders taking part, rivalry could turn violent, a political expert has said.

“Political rivalry will be fierce. Friction at the grassroots level, especially among candidate supporters, will be substantial. Bawaslu must be ready to anticipate such friction,” Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicate executive director Ari Nurcahyo said in a discussion in Lembang, West Java, on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

Komnas HAM to evaluate Mahfud's position

May 21 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) will evaluate Mahfud MD’s position as one of its advisory council members, following his appointment as the election campaign team head of candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa.

Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said Mahfud’s new role could taint the commission’s position as an independent institution that was not affiliated to any political entity.

Akbar Tandjung says rift weakens Golkar

May 21 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

A rift within the Golkar Party between those supporting presidential candidate Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and running mate Jusuf Kalla, former Golkar chairman, and those toeing the party line and backing Prabowo Subianto is hurting the party, a Golkar senior member has said.

Golkar advisory council head Akbar Tandjung said the party’s fractured state was similar to what had happened in the 2004 presidential election when the party’s support was split into two factions, namely supporters of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto-Salahudin Wahid.

NU members urged to remain neutral

May 21 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

Faithful members of the country’s largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), known as Nahdliyin, should remain neutral in the upcoming presidential election, a senior NU official has said.

NU executive board (PBNU) member Slamet Effendi Yusuf said any NU members who wished to express support for presidential candidate pairs Joko “Jokowi” Widodo-Jusuf Kalla or Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa should do so on an individual basis and not on behalf of the organization.

Special task force to protect candidates: Police

May 21 2014
Indonesia
Source: 
The Jakarta Post

A police official said the National Police would deploy personnel grouped under the VIP task force to safeguard the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

He said the personnel were highly trained and would perform closed and open security perimeters.

“The task force will also provide traffic and personal escorts with special vehicles,” brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar of the National Police said on Wednesday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

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