Candidates promise more wealth, jobs
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Lampung/Papua/Lombok
Presidential candidates and their running mates campaigned on the outer islands on Friday, promising employment and prosperity.
Golkar Party candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto, accompanied by party leader Akbar Tandjung, visited Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, in the eastern part of the country -- one of many areas considered a Golkar stronghold.
Wiranto met with Najimuddin amid the strands of traditional music on the grounds of Darul Muhajirin Muslim pesantren (boarding school), which the influential local figure leads.
Wiranto climbed the stage only after the local National Awakening Party (PKB) leader, Taqiudin Mansyur, called on the audience to vote for the former military chief. The PKB has officially thrown his support behind Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid.
Indonesians, Wiranto told the audience, are in dire need of justice and security.
"There is not enough safe security or fairness, plus unemployment is increasing. People want change," he said.
Thousands of people, including children, flooded the school field in a show of support, but others acknowledged that they were there simply to watch the dangdut performance.
Amien Rais and his running mate, Siswono Yudohusodo, met their supporters in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan.
Thousands of people gathered on Sanaman Mantikei field after Friday prayers.
Both Amien and Siswono pledged to carry out total reform, including in the fields of law enforcement and economic recovery.
Meanwhile, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and running mate Jusuf Kalla said that special autonomy would be the right solution for problems in the easternmost province of Papua.
Susilo said that special autonomy in Papua would create a peaceful life in which discrimination would play no part.
He emphasized that the main problem of Papua was injustice. With special autonomy, he said, the province would have a larger portion of revenue to improve the lives of local people.
Susilo, a former top security minister, said that problems in Papua could not be settled through violence. "A violent approach will only create a need for revenge," said Susilo, who was crowned with a tribal hat.
Susilo and Kalla promised they would include Papuans in their Cabinet.
Agum Gumelar, the running mate of Hamzah Haz from the United Development Party (PPP), pledged that he would serve the people if the pair won the election.
He added that he would focus on the improvement of education.
Speaking before thousands of people in the Lampung capital of Bandarlampung. Agum said that education was an asset for the nation because it was an instrument to developing human resources.
"Without education we will be left behind by other countries," he said.
During the campaign, the audience also watched the performance of multitalented signer Dorce Gamalama and some dangdut singers.
South Sumatra Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), meanwhile, said it would issue a written warning against the Mega-Muzadi campaign team for involving school children in its campaign.
Panwaslu deputy chairman Nurcholis said his office would revoke its license if the team continued to involve children.
Thousands of people, including high school students, attended the Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi campaign in Palembang on Friday. The two are running under the banner of the Indonesian Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
Mega-Hasyim campaign team member Gantada said the children were not invited for the campaign, but for the istighotsah, a prayer session.
After campaigning in Palembang, the hometown of Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas, the pair traveled to Jambi. Megawati disappointed her supporters in Jambi by failing to give a speech.