Candidates promote unrealistic promises: Study<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organization The Institute for Democracy Studies
\n(LKaDe) criticized on Tuesday presidential and vice presidential
\ncandidates for the unrealistic promises they have made during
\nnearly three weeks of public campaigning.<\/p>\n
To make matters worse, LKaDe said all candidates forgot to
\npromote primary issues, such as protection of children and women
\nagainst illegal trafficking, empowerment of disabled people, the
\nelimination of discrimination against people of Chinese descent
\nand against other minority groups, the investigation of
\nunresolved cases involving human rights abuses and the
\nintroduction of a clear concept on internal military reform.<\/p>\n
LKaDe chairman Sukowaluyo Mintorahardjo said the promises of
\nlow cost education to freeing parents from tuition fees,
\nwere \"unrealistic, because the government has allocated a huge
\nbudget of no less than Rp 93 trillion (US$99 billion) to the
\neducation sector -- yet it cannot accommodate free tuition and
\nlow-cost education programs.\"<\/p>\n
Sukowaluyo and his colleagues are from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who nominated incumbent
\npresident Megawati Soekarnoputri. In the area of education her
\npromise was \"more realistic\" as she offered to raise the number
\nof students who receive scholarships, he said.<\/p>\n
Sukowaluyo, who was accompanied by legislator Didiek
\nSupriyanto also highlighted responses from Gen. (ret) Wiranto,
\nthe Golkar Party candidate, and Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono from the Democratic Party, with regard to the
\neradication of corruption.<\/p>\n
\"Both candidates have promised to impose the death sentence on
\ncorruptors but I don't think they could do that,\" Sukowaluyo
\nsaid, adding \"their statements imply interference in the
\ncountry's legal system\".<\/p>\n
He was referring to Anticorruption Law No. 39\/1999, which
\nstipulates a maximum 20 years in jail for convicted corruptors;
\nthe death sentence could only be enforced under special
\ncircumstances, such as an emergency situation.<\/p>\n
LKaDe was established by PDI-P members critical of Megawati.
\nIt monitored the campaigns of all the presidential candidates
\nfrom June 1 to June 20.<\/p>\n
Sukowaluyo also criticized the candidates' economic platforms
\nas most claim to be able to create more job opportunities for
\nhundreds of thousands of jobless people, while the government is
\nnot in a position to create such opportunities.<\/p>\n
\"The creation of job opportunities belongs to the private
\nsector, while the government is responsible for creating a
\npositive situation by streamlining the arduous bureaucracy and
\nabolishing conflicting regulations.<\/p>\n
The job opportunities the candidates can create, he said, are
\nfor civil servants or servicemen and women.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/candidates-promote-unrealistic-promises-study-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}