Election campaign less attractive in N. Sumatra: KPUD

Apriadi Gunawan and Ridwan Max Sijabat ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Medan   |  Tue, 04/08/2008 11:55 AM  |  The Archipelago

Campaign activities in North Sumatra have failed to catch the attention of the electorate, which political observers warn could result in a floating mass of voters on election day.

Neither outdoor nor indoor campaigns, conducted by the five pairs of candidates in the five zones during the first five-day round that started last Sunday, managed to draw supporters and visitors, despite attractive campaigners and entertainment.

The head of the provincial chapter of the General Elections Commission, Irham Buana Nasution, expressed his deep concern about the low level of public interest in the gubernatorial election, as demonstrated by the lack of supporters during the first round of campaigning, but was unable to explain it.

"We don't know why people have been less interested in coming to campaign sites, which has been the case across all the campaign zones," he said.

To kick off the second round Monday, Tri Tamtomo and his running mate Benny Pasaribu, nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), toured several traditional markets in the city in an attempt to win over traders.

Other candidates visited their constituents and supporters in other regencies.

Ridwan Rangkuti, a political observer from North Sumatra University, said people preferred to go about their daily activities rather than visit campaign sites because they did not see the significance of the governor race.

"After the 2004 legislative election, people became bored with political parties, the government and the legislative body, which they find have brought no changes to their lives during the past four years," he said.

"The way the public sees it, whichever one of the five candidates wins, he would have to be able to normalize the soaring prices of basic commodities and health services, education and fertilizer."

According to Rangkuti, campaign activities lack supporters and sympathizers because campaign teams have apparently run out of funds, coupled with the fact the governor hopefuls have average qualifications and no concrete programs for addressing people's problems.

People from different social classes in West Java have been less interested in coming to campaign sites because they do not expect to see any change to their lives, regardless of who wins the April 13 election.

Rangkuti warned of a large floating mass and possibly a second round in the election because many of the candidates were unpopular.

"If more voters do not exercise their voting rights, candidates will find it difficult to win at least 25 percent of the total votes, which they need to win the election. Then the second round will be unavoidable, as happened in the 2004 presidential election," he said.

Mardiana, a trader at Petisah market, said he was skeptical of all five pairs of candidates and of their similar programs for addressing the economic hardships people were facing.

"Pak, what is the benefit for us if you are elected?" one woman asked Tri Tamtomo when he visited the market Monday with his wife.

"I'm here to shop," Tri replied quickly.

Icuk, a 47-year-old becak driver in Kisaran, also said he found nothing unique about any of the candidates.

"None has guaranteed a decrease in the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities or promised to provide free education and health services for the poor," he said.

Sumiati, a food stall owner in Medan, challenged the governor candidates to provide jobs for the increasing number of unemployed and poor people.

"I have five children who have graduated from high school and they are still unemployed because they have no skills or money to create small enterprises," she said.

Herdensi Adnin, a human rights activist with the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence in Medan, said he was disappointed the five candidates had paid no attention to the importance of upholding human rights, especially given the increasing number of land disputes and removal of traders in urban areas in the province.

Majda El Muhtaj, from the Center for Human Rights Studies at Medan University, said the next governor should pay more attention to the rights of residents evicted from government-backed development projects.

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