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.