Governatorial candidates play it safe
Jongker Rumteh, The Jakarta Post, Manado
Observers have found fault in the election campaigns of candidates for North Sulawesi governor and deputy governor, saying the politicians are playing on primordial sentiments rather than tackling issues. "This strategy encourages voters to make an emotional decision, rather than a rational one," said political observer Max Rembang.
Five pairs will contest the June 20 election: Hengky Baramuli- Dirk P. Togas, A.J. Sondakh-Arianthi Baramuli Putri, Ferry Tinggogoy-Hamdi Paputungan, Sinyo Harry Sarundajang-Freddy Harry Sualang and Wenny Warouw-Marhany Pua.
Pair Hengky and Togas have been approaching Sangir-Talaud people as Hengky comes from the ethnic group, which is the second biggest in North Sulawesi.
While, to win over Muslim voters -- whose number is significant in the predominantly Christian province -- Hengky and Togas have assigned the head of their campaign team, Abid Takalamingan. Takalamingan is leader of the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party's chapter in the province.
The other pairs are battling for the Minahasan vote, the largest distinct group of people in North Sulawesi. Sondakh, Ferry Tinggogoy, Sarundajang and Warouw are all Minahasan.
Besides approaching Minahasan leaders, the candidates have been strengthening ties with religious institutions. Sondakh, for example, has frequently visited senior members of the province's largest church, the Minahasa Bible Christian Synode. Sondakh, who was North Sulawesi governor for the 1999 to 2005 term, is a member of the church's advisory council.
Arianthy Baramuli, a Muslim, is targeting the Muslim vote and makes frequent donations to mosques. As the only female candidate, she is also campaigning for gender equality.
Pair Ferry Tinggogoy and Hamdi Paputungan are counting on the Catholic and Bolaang-Mongondouw vote.
"Ferry has not approached the Catholics, but I believe that the some 120,000 Catholic voters will pick him as he is the only Catholic among the candidates," said a member of Ferry's campaign team.
Ferry's running mate Hamdi Paputungan is approaching leaders of the Bolaang-Mongondouw ethnic group, which Hamdi belongs to. There are 316,000 eligible voters in Bolaang-Mongondouw regency.
Sinyo Harry Sarundajang and Freddy Harry Sualang have been meeting with leaders of the Minahasan people, with some 700,000 eligible voters in that group, as well as Maluku migrants.
Sinyo, a former acting governor of North Maluku province, has brought in Maluku Governor Albert Rahalalu and top Muslim leaders to assist with his campaign. Maluku voters comprise some 40,000 of the 1.6 million eligible voters in the province.
Meanwhile, pair Wenny Warouw and Marhany Pua are banking on support from the police community and the Minahasa Bible Christian Synode. Wenny -- a police brigadier general who will remain inactive for the campaign period -- would be the first North Sulawesi governor from the police force if he is elected, while Marhany is garnering support from the Minahasa Bible Christian Synode as he was formerly the church's youth group leader.
Max condemned the candidates' campaign strategies, saying they were not offering anything new.
"People should have been educated to use their heads in picking a leader. Candidates would have done better promoting concrete platforms for the benefit of the province, instead of utilizing primordial sentiment," said Max, a lecturer at the social and political school of Sam Ratulangi University in the provincial capital of Manado.