Presidential candidates' platforms vague: Experts

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Golkar's presidential candidates presented their electoral platforms before some 500 party members from across the country on Tuesday, but analysts said their programs were too general and vague.

Their programs seemed uninteresting even to party members as many convention participants did not bother to show up at the auditorium where the candidates unveiled their manifestos.

Almost half of the seats in the auditorium were vacant when media baron Surya Paloh and Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X presented their views on Tuesday afternoon.

Even on Tuesday morning, when Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung, businessman Aburizal Bakrie, and former Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Prabowo Subianto presented their programs, many members were absent from the auditorium.

Wiranto, who turned up in the evening session, used a slide show to attract the audience during his presentation.

Political analysts attending the presentations said that the candidates failed to specify what programs they would put in place.

Dewi Fortuna Anwar of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) urged candidates to spell out their plans for their first 100 days in office.

"Their ideas are simply too general. They will not be able to finish their programs by the end of the five-year presidential term," said Fachry Ali of the Institute for the Study and Advancement of Business Ethics (LSPEU).

Syamsuharto from the Surabaya-based Airlangga University stressed that the programs offered by the presidential candidates needed to be feasible and practical.

Opening the morning session, Aburizal said that he would create labor-oriented programs that would employ more people and reduce unemployment.

"A labor-oriented program will give more opportunities to people to work," said Aburizal, adding he would also boost the economic recovery.

Meanwhile, Akbar said that while he would continue to promote democracy, he would also maintain political stability by restricting the number of political parties.

Akbar said he would reduce the number of political parties by imposing strict requirements for individuals to set up political parties. He did not elaborate.

Under the existing political party law, a party has to have branches in 50 percent of the country's provinces and in 50 percent of the regencies in those provinces in order to be recognized as a legitimate political party, among other requirements.

At least 50 political parties have been declared legitimate and thus have the chance to participate in the 2004 general elections.

Akbar, who was sentenced to three years in jail for his role in a Rp 40 billion financial scandal, argued that cutting the number of parties would encourage the convergence of ideas and political platforms.

Prabowo, meanwhile, said he would provide poor people with low-cost housing, and loan facilities for small and medium enterprises.

Prabowo, a son-in-law of former president Soeharto, said that he had heard rumors that bribes were being paid to secure support during the convention.

"But, I believe in the integrity of the convention participants," he said. At least 534 people are attending the convention.

Surya Paloh expressed his disappointment over the changes to the convention rules and schedules. He said that there had been inconsistencies during the convention.

As for the effort to achieve national reconciliation, Surya said that what was needed now was not politicians but rather statesman.

Hamengkubuwono, meanwhile, proposed a worldwide campaign to improve Indonesia's image and bargaining position in the global community.

---------------------------------------------------------------- No. Candidates Supporting Platforms

provinces ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Aburizal Bakrie 28 democracy and economy 2. Surya Paloh 27 reconciliation 3. Wiranto 25 reconciliation, rule of law 4. Akbar Tandjung 23 economy, law, democracy 5. Jusuf Kalla 20 socio-economic justice 6. Prabowo Subianto 14 strong government 7. Hamengkubuwono X 7 education, good governance -----------------------------------------------------------------