Favorite PKS suffers another upset

Favorite PKS suffers another upset

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung, Lampung

A large campaign budget and full support from first-round losers
were not enough to help the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
candidates win the Bandarlampung mayoral and deputy mayoral
posts.

Abdul Hakim and running mate Zainal Iskandar lost to duo Eddy
Sutrisno and Kherlani, who were nominated by the Indonesian
Democratic Party-led coalition in the runoff by a mere 3 percent.

The official result released by the local election commission
on Sunday saw Eddy and Kherlani win 157,694 votes, against
148,666 for Abdul and Zainal, who had emerged the pre-race
favorites. Even the vote counting conducted by the PKS confirmed
the defeat.

Abdul is a House of Representatives legislator representing
PKS, and one of a number of lawmakers who tried their luck in the
regional elections.

The shocking defeat in Bandarlampung came just three days
after former PKS president Nur Mahmudi Ismail had his victory in
the election for Depok mayor in West Java overturned by the
provincial high court.

Many had predicted that Abdul and Zainal would easily beat
Eddy and Kherlani, who also received the backing of the United
Development Party and minority parties the United Democratic
Nationhood Party, the Prosperous Democratic Party, the Crescent
Star Party and the Reform Star Party.

The election commission recorded the poll turnout at only 56
percent of eligible voters.

Political analyst Jauhari M. Zailani of the state
Bandarlampung University said Eddy's win was further proof that
personality counted the most in the direct election, rather than
financial resources or support from major parties.

"Eddy spent the least during the campaign, far less than Abdul
or other candidates who did not make it to the runoff. In the
second round Eddy faced not only Abdul but major parties whose
candidates lost in the first round, meaning personality surpasses
capital," Jauhari said.

The Golkar Party, which spent Rp 10 billion (US$1.03 million)
to help its candidates Sjachrazad Z.P. and Rudy Syawal win the
election, the Democratic Party and the National Awakening Party
announced their support for Abdul in the runoff.

Jauhari said ethnic ties also played a pivotal role in Eddy's
victory.

Born to a Javanese migrant family, Eddy, who was formerly a
Golkar member, won the most votes in eight districts dominated by
Javanese and indigenous Lampung ethnic groups. Javanese make up
most of the city's population.

Abdul, who hails from Pandeglang in Banten, won support mostly
from Padang and Banten migrants. Muslim leaders had also thrown
their weight behind Abdul after he pledged free education for
Islamic schools. Abdul runs an Islamic boarding school in
Bandarlampung.

Eddy, meanwhile, promised to provide free education for all
and soft loans for small-and medium-scale entrepreneurs.

Abdul said he accepted defeat, as all candidates had signed a
statement to honor the election results. But he asked the
election supervisory committee to follow up reports that some
voters cast ballots twice.