Soothsayers in high demand ahead of N. Sumatra polls

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post/Medan

Abdul Hafizron's office has smelled fragrant for a week. A large dish filled with jasmine flowers, roses, cananga and magnolias sits on the right side of his table.

Four photographs of regental candidate pairs from a number of regencies in North Sumatra running for election on June 27 have been placed among the flowers.

The photographs among the flowers can be seen by anyone sitting across from the bespectacled man.

However, when asked about the candidates by The Jakarta Post, Hafizron was reluctant to talk about it for fear of an issue being made of it in the media.

Hafizron, a member of the campaign team for the four pairs of candidates, said he had placed the flowers with the photographs on his work table in a bid to accomplish his task of helping the candidates win the elections.

"This is just a prerequisite for the election process. I did it upon the instruction of a soothsayer who is assisting me for the campaign," said Hafizron in his office on Friday.

Hafizron -- who is campaigning for candidates from Labuhan Batu, Mandailing Natal, South Tapanuli and Medan regencies -- believes the role of soothsayers is crucial in helping the candidates win the election in their respective regencies.

"It's not that I'm associating God with other beings, but the assistance of a supernatural expert is important because he can protect the candidates from evil influences that could be a risk to them," said Hafizron, adding that the candidates knew about the services being rendered by the soothsayer.

According to Hafizron, the candidates do not mind him using a soothsayer as long as it was for their good.

An expert in supernaturalism and soothsayer, Rudianto, who lives in Medan, acknowledged that many regental candidates had requested assistance from soothsayers to win elections this year. Due to the current high demand for such services, Rudianto said he was competing with many spiritualists from Java who had come to North Sumatra to offer their services to regental candidates.

The stout, 31-year-old man is fortunate that, despite the stiff competition, many regental candidates have asked for his services. He has apparently turned down requests from candidates whom he considered not upright.

"Many regental candidates have requested my help, but I don't accept just anyone. I help only those with good character," said Rudianto, who claimed he had inherited the skill from his parents.

When asked how much each candidate paid him, Rudianto said it was up to the candidate as he had no fixed rate.

North Sumatra's Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) leader Mahmud Aziz Siregar said regental candidates who sought help from soothsayers to win elections were considered to be engaging in polytheism, which was prohibited in Islam. Azis explained that using a soothsayer was irrational because only God could help people.

"To win or lose is God's will, so pray to God instead of engaging in improper ways, as it's called syirik (associating God with other beings)," said Aziz, who said he had once been approached by a Medan mayoral candidate requesting to be blessed so that the candidate could win.

Direct regional elections in North Sumatra will be held in 13 municipalities and regencies on June 27.