Governatorial candidates play it safe<\/p>\n
Jongker Rumteh, The Jakarta Post, Manado<\/p>\n
Observers have found fault in the election campaigns of
\ncandidates for North Sulawesi governor and deputy governor,
\nsaying the politicians are playing on primordial sentiments
\nrather than tackling issues.
\n \"This strategy encourages voters to make an emotional decision,
\nrather than a rational one,\" said political observer Max Rembang.<\/p>\n
Five pairs will contest the June 20 election: Hengky Baramuli-
\nDirk P. Togas, A.J. Sondakh-Arianthi Baramuli Putri, Ferry
\nTinggogoy-Hamdi Paputungan, Sinyo Harry Sarundajang-Freddy Harry
\nSualang and Wenny Warouw-Marhany Pua.<\/p>\n
Pair Hengky and Togas have been approaching Sangir-Talaud
\npeople as Hengky comes from the ethnic group, which is the second
\nbiggest in North Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
While, to win over Muslim voters -- whose number is
\nsignificant in the predominantly Christian province -- Hengky and
\nTogas have assigned the head of their campaign team, Abid
\nTakalamingan. Takalamingan is leader of the Muslim-based
\nProsperous Justice Party's chapter in the province.<\/p>\n
The other pairs are battling for the Minahasan vote, the
\nlargest distinct group of people in North Sulawesi. Sondakh,
\nFerry Tinggogoy, Sarundajang and Warouw are all Minahasan.<\/p>\n
Besides approaching Minahasan leaders, the candidates have
\nbeen strengthening ties with religious institutions. Sondakh, for
\nexample, has frequently visited senior members of the province's
\nlargest church, the Minahasa Bible Christian Synode. Sondakh, who
\nwas North Sulawesi governor for the 1999 to 2005 term, is a
\nmember of the church's advisory council.<\/p>\n
Arianthy Baramuli, a Muslim, is targeting the Muslim vote and
\nmakes frequent donations to mosques. As the only female
\ncandidate, she is also campaigning for gender equality.<\/p>\n
Pair Ferry Tinggogoy and Hamdi Paputungan are counting on the
\nCatholic and Bolaang-Mongondouw vote.<\/p>\n
\"Ferry has not approached the Catholics, but I believe that
\nthe some 120,000 Catholic voters will pick him as he is the only
\nCatholic among the candidates,\" said a member of Ferry's campaign
\nteam.<\/p>\n
Ferry's running mate Hamdi Paputungan is approaching leaders
\nof the Bolaang-Mongondouw ethnic group, which Hamdi belongs to.
\nThere are 316,000 eligible voters in Bolaang-Mongondouw regency.<\/p>\n
Sinyo Harry Sarundajang and Freddy Harry Sualang have been
\nmeeting with leaders of the Minahasan people, with some 700,000
\neligible voters in that group, as well as Maluku migrants.<\/p>\n
Sinyo, a former acting governor of North Maluku province, has
\nbrought in Maluku Governor Albert Rahalalu and top Muslim leaders
\nto assist with his campaign. Maluku voters comprise some 40,000
\nof the 1.6 million eligible voters in the province.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, pair Wenny Warouw and Marhany Pua are banking on
\nsupport from the police community and the Minahasa Bible
\nChristian Synode. Wenny -- a police brigadier general who will
\nremain inactive for the campaign period -- would be the first
\nNorth Sulawesi governor from the police force if he is elected,
\nwhile Marhany is garnering support from the Minahasa Bible
\nChristian Synode as he was formerly the church's youth group
\nleader.<\/p>\n
Max condemned the candidates' campaign strategies, saying they
\nwere not offering anything new.<\/p>\n
\"People should have been educated to use their heads in
\npicking a leader. Candidates would have done better promoting
\nconcrete platforms for the benefit of the province, instead of
\nutilizing primordial sentiment,\" said Max, a lecturer at the
\nsocial and political school of Sam Ratulangi University in the
\nprovincial capital of Manado.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/governatorial-candidates-play-it-safe-1447893297",
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