Cultural and technical glitches obstructs debate target: Expert
Cultural and technical glitches obstructs debate target: Expert
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The two-day live presidential debates may have attracted a great
number of viewers, but observers believed the exercise missed
their targets due to cultural and technical problems.
Daniel Sparringa, a political expert at the Surabaya-based
Airlangga University, said the debates had emerged "a new
tradition in an ambivalent society like Indonesia".
"We don't know whether they are an entertainment or a
political education show, because Indonesians basically do not
like people bragging about their intelligence.
"Politicians know that well. That is why they chose to
describe their opinions rather than challenging other's ideas,"
Daniel told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The debates, sponsored by the General Elections Commission,
featured three presidential pairings on Thursday evening: Wiranto
and running mate Solahuddin Wahid, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
Jusuf Kalla, and Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar.
Predetermined panelists asked them to present their political
platforms and programs, but they had no chance to challenge the
ideas of fellow candidates.
Law expert Todung Mulya Lubis said Wiranto-Solahuddin were
clearly leading in the dialog.
"They communicated well and answered questions concretely. The
pair seems to be knowledgeable about what they're saying, more so
than their counterparts," he said.
Some kampong residents in South Palmerah, Central Jakarta,
looked serious as they watched the dialog on a 20-inch community
TV.
"They look like students in a contest," remarked Suherlan, a
vendor, adding that he and others watched the show to kill time
before the Euro 2004 program.
Most Bandung residents seemed to prefer watching the live
dialog at home, and city streets were deserted during the
broadcast.
Erna Mardiana, who lives on Jl. Antapani, criticized all
candidates, that they merely offered far-fetched promises.
Students in Medan, however, were apparently uninterested in
the dialog. Most North Sumatra University students, for example,
preferred a music program on private TV to the dialog.
One of the students, Ali, said the dialog offered little
benefit to viewers and would not change voter preferences.
"We are bored with their promises. We are waiting for some
real results," he said, adding that he had yet to make up his
mind about who he would elect.