Indonesian presidential candidates spar in first debate, digging up one another's past and dangling pledges

JAKARTA: Indonesia's three presidential candidates faced off in a live debate on Tuesday (Dec 12) night - making policy pledges, touting achievements and also attacking one another on their rivals' alleged past mistakes and controversies - ahead of the country’s election on Valentine’s Day next year. 

In the first of a five-debate series, presidential candidates and their running mates - Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD - tried to lure voters by promising what they would do should they become Indonesia’s next leaders. 

The topics of the first debate were law, human rights, corruption eradication, governance and improving public service, strengthening democracy, tackling disinformation and managing civic harmony.

The presidential candidates each had a few minutes to outline their vision and policy ideas, followed by a segment where they fielded questions from one another and a panel of experts including academics.

HEATED, MOCKFUL DEBATE

The proceedings got more heated as the candidates grilled one another over past actions or events during their previous posts, at times taking on a mockful tone that triggered the audience to cheer loudly.

For instance, Mr Anies, who is former Jakarta governor, asked Defence Minister Prabowo about the importance of ethics, in an indirect reference to the latter’s running mate Mr Gibran, who is President Joko Widodo’s son and also Solo’s mayor.

Until mid-October, Mr Gibran was unable to contest the election as he is younger than 40, the minimum age required to run for president or vice-president.

But the Constitutional Court, then headed by his uncle, decided to expand the candidacy requirements to include elected officials younger than 40, paving the way for Mr Gibran to contest in the upcoming election.

However, an ethics panel of the Constitutional Court said in early November the decision was unethical.

Pressed on how he felt knowing the court ruling was decided to be unethical, Mr Prabowo said his legal experts advised that there was no problem.

"Let the people decide. If they don't like Prabowo-Gibran, there's no need to vote for us, and I'm not afraid of not having a position (in the government).

"I am ready to die for this country," he said in a high voice, followed by a loud cheering by the audience.

However, Mr Anies was not satisfied with Mr Prabowo’s remarks, and added that the phenomenon that one needs to have connections to get a certain position hinders meritocracy.

Mr Prabowo replied by saying again that the people would decide, adding: "If we are not right, treacherous, wrong, the people will punish us (by not voting for them)."

Mr Prabowo in turn pressed Mr Anies on why despite having a substantial budget as Jakarta governor then, there was little progress in tackling the capital’s air pollution problem, which is often cited as the worst in the world.

Mr Anies countered that the pollution did not only stem from the city but also from other surrounding areas to which Mr Prabowo said: “This is just difficult if you keep blaming the wind.”

Mr Anies replied by saying: "This is the difference between someone who speaks using data and fiction. I use data.”

Mr Ganjar, who's former Central Java governor, also chimed in and pressed Mr Anies for his real stance in moving the country’s capital to Nusantara in eastern Kalimantan.

Mr Anies has recently made comments publicly implying that he is against the capital relocation which is being spearheaded by Mr Widodo and viewed as a key plank of the outgoing president's legacy.

In response, Mr Anies kept his answers indirect by saying that there were more urgent needs to work on such as building damaged schools in Kalimantan or building more highways.

Mr Ganjar also tried to put Mr Prabowo under pressure, by asking if the latter would form a human rights court if elected as president.

He also asked if Mr Prabowo would help find the graveyards of past human rights activists who have disappeared and never been found. 

Former army general Prabowo has often been accused of being involved in human rights violations such as the abductions of pro-democracy activists in 1998, in the months leading to the downfall of authoritarian president Soeharto, who was at that time his father-in-law. 

Instead of answering yes or no, Mr Prabowo, who is running for president for the third time, said this was a recurring issue in all his presidential bids.

Mr Ganjar then said Mr Prabowo was not being firm while being evasive in his replies.

"My question was actually whether you will form a human rights court if you become president. Question number two is whether you can find a way to help the families (of activists) so that they can then visit their graves. These two (questions) are both unanswered," said Mr Ganjar.

Mr Prabowo also did not spare Mr Ganjar, criticising him for his handling of a fertiliser shortage during his tenure as Central Java governor.

But Mr Ganjar argued some other provinces also had the same problem as the shortage was caused by lack of data, which hindered the distribution of fertilisers.

It is not unusual in Indonesia for presidential candidates to attack one another during a debate. When the event ended last night, the candidates shook hands and hugged one another.

The supporters of each camp, seated among the audience, were always ready to clap loudly and roam.

PROMISES AND PLEDGES

In the opening segment, Mr Anies, 54, said he wants to uphold the law and give justice to Indonesians. 

"There is a millennial as a vice-presidential candidate here," Mr Anies said referring to Mr Gibran, who's aged 36.

"But there are thousands of Generation Z and Millennials who care about the nation and those who are marginalised. And when they express their opinions, they face pressure from the government, and often violent threats."

Mr Prabowo said Indonesia is now actually in a good condition because it is safe and costs of living are still under control. 

However, he acknowledged that in a country with 280 million people, there are of course still shortcomings.

"Prabowo and Gibran will fix what needs to be fixed and we are determined to eradicate corruption,” said Mr Prabowo, 72.

"Our programme is good, our goals are good."

Mr Ganjar said he and Mr Mahfud have been campaigning throughout Indonesia from its east to its west because they want to listen to the people to understand their needs.

He added that they want to build more health facilities and provide free internet for students, if elected.

“To do that the government must be clean, accommodating people's needs not just with words but with seriousness. We will do that,” said 55-year-old Mr Ganjar. 

DEBATE FORMAT

They were accompanied by their running mates who were not allowed to speak as the first debate was meant only for the presidential candidates. 

All pairs need to be present in all five of the debates but the vice-presidential candidates can only speak during the second and fourth, while the third and fifth debates are also reserved for the presidential candidates.

This is the first election in 15 years where three pairs are contesting for Indonesia's top jobs. 

On Feb 14 next year, about 204.8 million eligible Indonesian voters are expected to head to the polls to choose Indonesia’s eighth president.

Current president Joko Widodo is barred from running since the constitution only allows a person to stay in power for maximum two terms. 

According to the Indonesian election law, a pair must secure more than 50 per cent of the votes to win the elections.

If nobody gets at more than 50 per cent, the election will go into a second round in June and the pair with the least number of votes cannot continue the contest.

Mr Prabowo and Solo mayor Mr Gibran are the front-runners with an electability rating of more than 40 per cent, according to various polls.  

Meanwhile, Mr Ganjar and his running mate Mahfud MD, who’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, as well as Mr Anies and his partner Muhaimin Iskandar, who’s head of political party PKB, are in tight competition to make it into the second round.

The second debate will be on Dec 22, where vice-presidential candidates will challenge each other over the economy.

This includes people's and digital economy, finance, investment, taxes, trade, state or regional budget management, infrastructure, and urban areas.

The third debate will be on Jan 7, focusing on defence, security, geopolitics and international relations, which the presidential candidate must tackle. 

On Jan 21, the vice presidential candidates will debate about energy, carbon tax, environment, agrarian matters, indigenous people, food security and natural resources. 

The last debate on Feb 4 is for the presidential candidates to showcase their knowledge in information technology, improvement of public services, hoax, intolerance, education, health and employment. 

Read this story in Bahasa Indonesia here.