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Mounting debts and poll failure bode ill for losing candidates
Newspaper vendor Samadiono, 44, was determined to run as a legislative candidate in the April 9 elections
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Newspaper vendor Samadiono, 44, was determined to run as a legislative candidate in the April 9 elections. He borrowed money from his relatives to support his campaign. However, his dream to become a legislator faded, after an interim vote count showed he did not get enough votes.
“For initial funds, I borrowed gold jewelry from a relative, worth Rp 10 million [US$900]. I also borrowed from friends and some of them offered me loans,” he said.
Samadiono, running on the National Awakening Party’s (PKB) ticket in Bantul, Yogyakarta, said he would make good on all that he owed.
“I will repay my debts, albeit in small installments,” he said.
The dream of Siti Ianatush, 38, of becoming the wife of a legislator were dashed, despite spending a lot of money to pay for the campaign of her husband Johar Taukhid, 39, who also ran for the PKB in Bantul.
“Our family has spent a lot of money,” she said, adding the amount totaled hundreds of millions of rupiah.
Some of the 2,500 legislative candidates in Yogyakarta are expected to suffer from mental illness due to the huge debts they have incurred and the fact they lost out in the polls.
To prepare for the situation, Grhasia Mental Hospital in Yogyakarta has prepared 200 beds made up of three classes.
Hospital director Rohana Dwi Astuti predicted it would take a month for candidates who were heavily in debt and susceptible to stress to suffer from mental distress.
A candidate in Banyumas, Badrudin, 40, who appeared dejected, was accompanied by three members of his campaign team while sipping coffee.
“Many of my supporters and constituents have shifted to other candidates because of vote buying. What else can I do? Frankly, I’m very disappointed, but perhaps this is the political risk I have to take,” Badrudin said at home on Monday.
He added he had lobbied for support for the past year and had spent a lot campaigning.
“It could amount to more than Rp 250 million,” he said.
On Monday, dozens of residents of Kaligawe subdistrict, Gayamsari district in Semarang, demanded the Democratic Party’s local campaign team make good on its promise to pay them for votes.
They arrived at the home of Eni, a campaign team member for Democratic Party candidates Yoyok Sukawi and Agung Bhawono, demanding cash of between Rp 15,000 and Rp 25,000 and packages of basic necessities, after voting for the two candidates.
Apparently, only some of the residents had received the handouts, leaving the others to demand them from Eni, as she was the one who had registered them.
