Bantar Gebang landfill site has been the center of attention over the last few days, as presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate Prabowo Subianto are slated to declare their bid there on Sunday.

Since Monday, preparations for the declaration ceremony have been underway, which the event committee deemed the most modest compared to that of the other two candidates.

The event will be held on a one-hectare vacant lot located about 500 meters from the waste disposal site, which is situated some 50 kilometers to the East of Jakarta.

The area is also located just hundreds of meters away from the slums housing trash pickers.

On Friday, workers were seen installing a stage where the pair, supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), would stand to make their declaration for the July presidential election.

A pathway made of paving blocks has been built toward the center of the stage. Megawati, Prabowo and other VIPs will be walking along the pathway before standing on the stage. A huge tent of about 1,000 square meters has been erected in front of the stage to accommodate ceremony attendees.

Tumai, the event's field coordinator, said the preparations were almost complete, as the workers only needed to finish covering the muddy area with sand and stones.

"This place will stay just the way it is, as Ibu Mega and Pak Prabowo requested. We will not set up any lavish decorations."

"Besides, this area has been vacant for months because the provincial administration has decided to build a waste processing site here, so we might as well make use of it."

The area belongs to PT Godang Tua Jaya, the company that manages the landfill site, which receives an estimated 6,500 tons of garbage per day from the Greater Jakarta area.

There will not be any special treatment to sanitize the area from the unpleasant smell from the dump, said event committee member Heri.

"We won't bother dealing with the smell, we will just let it stay, so that all the high-ranking state officials attending the ceremony will be aware of the current condition of the site."

Tumai said the committee had spent less than Rp 50 million to prepare the event. The logistics and materials, including tents, stage, chairs, sand and stones, were mostly donated by the parties' supporters.

"I think this might be the most meager declaration ceremony *compared to that of other presidential candidates*."

He assured the ceremony would not disturb the waste management activities.

"The garbage trucks will still be able to unload their waste as usual, because they have had their own route to and from this premise."

Marhadi, a 40-year-old trash picker at the waste site, was eager to come to the area on Sunday to see the declaration ceremony.

"Of course I will come here, I want to see Ibu Mega. I have always voted for the PDI-P in every election, and I will vote for Ibu Mega. It doesn't matter if she is elected as President or not," he said.

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