Tensions Cool Down in Final Debate

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Jakarta election candidate pairs Basuki Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Syaiful Hidayat and Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno (left to right) participate in a debate for the runoff election at Bidakara Hotel in Jakarta on Wednesday (12/4/2017). The debate was held under the theme “From Jakartans, for Jakartans”.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The cool air of democracy was felt during the final debate in the runoff election of Jakarta\'s 2017 gubernatorial race. The body languages of the candidates generally looked friendly and the debate ended with them shaking hands.

The materials presented were well known, but there was a breakthrough as the candidates received questions directly from residents.

The candidates displayed friendliness when they entered the debate arena at the Bidakara Hotel, South Jakarta, on Wednesday. "We thank and apologize to all parties who are disturbed by the election campaigns. After this, we hope the elections will run smoothly and safe. We may have different choices but it should not break up the friendship," said Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, accompanied by Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, before the beginning of the debate.

Governor candidate number three, Anies Baswedan, accompanied by his running mate Sandiago Uno, expressed his commitment to conduct a clean campaign as well as to approach the people with love.

The debate was entitled "From the People for Jakarta". The theme comprised many issues ranging from inequality, social justice and law enforcement, to the demographic bonus. Other issues included transportation, housing costs, the reclamation project, education and health services and micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In the debate, which was still marred by an exchange of criticism, the moderator, Ira Koesno, asked the candidates Basuki and Anies to end the debate by shaking hands and to apologize to each other because there might be words or acts that could offend them.

The candidates expressed their commitment to maintain diversity and tolerance, whatever the outcome of the elections, and become a fair leader for all Jakarta citizens of diverse ethnicities, religions, races and groups.

The cool atmosphere during the debate was also possible because the number of the spectators was limited.

The chairman of the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta), Sumarno, said the debate was not as tense as the previous ones. The hand-shaking and apology was requested by the panelists and the KPU to ease the political tensions.

There were seven panelists in the debate, including a political observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Siti Zuhro, economists Prijono Tjiptoherijanto and Enny Sri Hartati, political communications expert Gun Gun Heryanto, sociologist Mutia Gani Rahman, city and regional planning expert Yayat Supriyatna and sociologist Imam Prasodjo.

Enny Sri Hartati, who has twice been a debate panelist, said that there were efforts to ease the tension.

Unlike in previous debates, representatives of four communities, namely fishermen, public transportation organizations, apartment residents and SMEs, were also invited to this one. They were given opportunities to ask questions about the real problems they were facing.

Iwan, a fisherman in Muara Angke, asked the candidates about the reclamation plan, which he said has ignored the lives of the fishermen there. He was not satisfied with the reply of the candidates who were given only 90 seconds to answer.

A resident of a building built for the reclamation program, Sunarto, questioned the poor conditions of his apartments, which had a leaky roof. The answers, indeed, needed elaboration.

Ermawati Setyorini, a representative from the small business community, asked about the difficulty to obtain loans because of the requirement for collateral. Meanwhile, Daryono of the community of transportation users questioned the possibility of the government providing free public transportation.

Enny said that during the question and answer session, only a few new issues were unveiled. The incumbent repeated his old program, while its rivals did not provide details of their program. "It would be better if the residents were also allowed to refute the responses from the candidates," he said.

Candidates’ hope

All the candidates for governor and vice governor of Jakarta explicitly hoped that the elections would run smoothly and prevent divisions in society.

Djarot said he, together with Basuki and the entire team, hoped the elections would be peaceful. "Now, it is the time to give Jakarta residents the opportunity to display mutual respect and respect for other people’s choices," he said after the debate.

He said he would accept the results of the election, whatever they were. Djarot also said the friendship among the candidates and their respective teams should be maintained.

Anies said the final debate was part of the process to unify the people. Therefore, he and Sandi, who usually wore white shirts, used blue shirts during the debate. "It\'s time to talk about unity," he said.

(IRE/JOG)