| Home > South-East Asia >> Indonesia | |
Jakarta election: Agus Yudhoyono campaigns as champion of the poor, with dynasty in mind
ABC Radio Australia - February 9, 2017
SBY is seen as the brains behind the campaign of his son Agus, who has benefited from the blasphemy trial of his main rival, as well as his promise of cash handouts to the poor.
The tall, handsome son of the former president is favourite to be elected the next governor of Jakarta. And if he wins this vote, there will be a push to have him run as a presidential candidate in 2019.
He is popular across the city, but for the residents of poor, flood-prone areas, where he has been campaigning, he is the only candidate worth voting for. "He is handsome, he is kind, and he won't relocate us," one north Jakarta resident told the ABC.
Slum dwellers promised cash handouts
One of the key policies of Jakarta's incumbent governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as Ahok, has been the demolition of illegally-built homes on the banks of the city's rivers.
The residents of the waterside districts see Agus as their saviour. He also promised to give each poor family around 5 million rupiah – or $500 – each year.
Political analyst Tobias Basuki has described Agus's promises as unaffordable.
"That's what Agus has been promising, money for the districts, [which] in my honest opinion will be a source of corruption," he said. "Any high school student can make a calculation [that] its not affordable, will bankrupt Jakarta's budget."
Jakarta is a complex city that needs a competent leader. But Agus, a 38-year-old former army major, told the ABC his lack of management experience was not important.
"I have very interesting military experience, and I think that is valuable for me to lead Jakarta and its people," he said.
"There are a lot of great military principles, especially in leadership, in winning the hearts and minds of the people, in taking the risks."
Christian Governor's blasphemy trial shapes election
The city's incumbent Governor, Ahok, has been an effective – if controversial – leader of Jakarta.
The Christian of Chinese descent had been expected to win the election, until he was targeted by Muslim protesters for allegedly insulting the Koran.
The protests were encouraged by the hardline Islamist Islamic Defenders Front, or FPI. Their anti-Ahok campaign and the ongoing blasphemy trial have been a source of destabilisation for Indonesia, and a huge boost to Agus.
One voter the ABC spoke to said she liked Ahok's programs but would not be voting for him. "No, because people said that it is not good to vote for someone who has a different religion."
FPI leader Habib Rizieq regularly attacks Ahok and Indonesia's Chinese community, referring to Ahok as a "pig's wart" and urging his supporters to vote for a Muslim candidate like Agus.
Analyst Tobias Basuki thinks Agus should have done more to distance himself from groups like the FPI, to prove that he "thinks about the nation in the bigger picture".
Ahok supporters have accused SBY – the former president – of encouraging the blasphemy campaign and protests against Ahok.
SBY and his son say this isn't true. Agus dismissed suggestions the blasphemy charges had helped his campaign.
"That's not relevant, that's not relevant to me, I think I'm still focusing my strategy, I never put that in my context," he said.
"I think that case, that special blasphemy issue done by my competitor has nothing to do with me. It doesn't help anything to do with my campaign."
Jakarta residents vote for their governor on February 15. It's a three-way race, and it's unlikely either Agus or Ahok will win a 50 per cent majority. That means the third candidate will be knocked out and the most likely outcome is an Ahok versus Agus run-off vote in April.
See also:
 |