Failed gubernatorial nominees try to halt election process
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As many as 24 gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates who failed to proceed to the next round of the election are threatening to stop the ongoing election process, saying it is not being conducted democratically.
The failed candidates, led by playwright Ratna Sarumpaet, visited the City Council on Friday, warning that if the election committee and the City Council ignored their demands they would take action, including organizing demonstrations.
Ratna said not all of the candidates were invited by the factions on the City Council to take part in the election process, including coming in for interviews to explain their platforms and visions for the city.
"We have tried to tell them about our aspirations through peaceful means. But if they do not listen to us, it will be easy for us to mobilize a thousand people to occupy this building," Ratna said at the City Council on Friday.
As many as 72 people were registered as gubernatorial candidates and 47 others as vice gubernatorial candidates. The election committee has so far selected 14 pairs of gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidates.
The selected candidates are now in the process of presenting their visions and platforms to the City Council.
But political analysts said the platforms of the candidates were not the main considerations in the electoral process. Rather, they said, horse-trading and money politics would play the most prominent roles in the gubernatorial election.
The chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum, Asas Tigor Nainggolan said some selected candidates gave Rp 250 million to City Council factions willing to shortlist them for the election.
A reliable source in the City Council said money politics had taken place since early in the selection process.
Eleven pairs of candidates at maximum and two pairs at minimum will take part in the gubernatorial election on Sept. 11.
Most of the candidates who failed to advance to the next round of the election are unknown to the public. These failed candidates have formed an organization called the Jakarta Governor and Vice Governor Forum.
The threat to try and block the election process comes rather belatedly, only after they failed to be shortlisted as candidates and the selected candidates have spent the week outlining their visions and missions.
Not all of those who failed to be shortlisted as candidates have joined the effort to hinder the election process. These include noted urban planner Marco Kusumawijaya, noted lawyer Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Harun Al Rasyid, senior politician Ridwan Saidi and pedicab driver Rasdullah.
Ratna and other disappointed candidates were received at the City Council by several legislators, led by the chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, Agung Imam Soemanto.
However, Agung and the other councillors did not respond to the demands of Ratna's group.
Agung, however, said he would discuss the results of their meeting with City Council leaders.
Ratna said that on Monday the group would return to the City Council building and demand to meet with Council leaders.