Presidential candidates' debates

I would like to add some thoughts on an article titled Jakarta campaign teams shift strategies (The Jakarta Post, June 12). There is nothing wrong with entertaining audiences with dangdut songs and dances.

Such impressive (and costly) events are common in nearly all countries around the world during an election campaign. But distributing free T-shirts and party mementos, free meals and sometimes a little cash can never be a substitute for live televised debates featuring the presidential candidates, which will truly help voters make their choice and which will serve democracy.

The frequently mentioned argument that a debate between presidential candidates is not in line with Indonesian culture was correctly answered by political observer Jeffrey Winters when it was brought up for the first time during the 1999 general election campaign: ""Culture is not static, it continues to develop.""

In a democratic country, voters have the right to know about a presidential candidates' vision, mission and programs at firsthand. And as the presidential election will determine the future of Indonesia, it is even more important for the voters to know by which means the respective candidates intend to fulfill promises like combating corruption, fighting terrorism, strengthening law enforcement, improving education and creating social and economic stability.

In a presidential debate, the respective candidates would debate one another and also be open to questions coming from common people, students, the business community, NGOs and journalists. But unfortunately -- and to the disadvantage of the voters -- the General Elections Commission (KPU) has decided that presidential candidates will engage in a dialog instead of a debate and that the candidates can only be questioned by preselected panelists.

The KPU argued that the dialog was created to avoid ""any of the candidates discrediting the other"". Does this mean that the KPU expects that a debate between candidates must automatically end up with them discrediting each other? Such kind of behavior is certainly not in the nature of the five presidential candidates, and is indeed not part of Indonesian culture.

HILDE MAY Jakarta