Adianto P. Simamora and Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Mon, 06/15/2009 10:01 AM
Presidential and vice presidential candidates intensified their campaign over the weekend by fending off criticisms and firing back at their opponents whenever possible.
In his Sunday campaign in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono quelled off criticisms of his dependency on Western aid and accusations of practicing neoliberalist policies, outlining his success during his five-year tenure.
“If I talk about independence, then it won’t just be a promise or a discourse, as I have proved [I have achieved] it,” he told thousands of people who came to see him in Kupang.
He criticized the two other candidates for saying he had only achieved partial independence, when in fact he had realized full independence.
Yudhoyono stated that under his presidency, Indonesia had managed to pay off all of its Rp 72 trillion of debts owed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2006, four years sooner than expected.
“That’s why our economic policy has not been controlled by other countries,” he said.
His running mate Boediono pledged during a campaign rally in Magelang, Central Java, on Sunday, that Yudhoyono and him would help develop local culture and art, arguing globalization should not discourage Indonesians from creating new art.
Their campaign team head, Hatta Radjasa, told journalists the team would work to win the election in one round, saying the sooner the election buzz was over, the less money would be spent on it, and the sooner the newly elected leaders could focus on state duties.
In response to Jusuf Kalla claiming a number of current government achievements were in fact his own, Hatta said it was Yudhoyono, as the head of the government, who had the most right to claim ownership over the achievements, including those related to the settlement of years of conflict in Aceh, often dubbed as Kalla’s achievement.
President hopeful Kalla, meanwhile, pledged to raise the monthly minimum wage of laborers and help people working in informal sectors earn more, if he was elected as the country’s President.
The promise was made during his election campaign in Cilincing, North Jakarta, on Sunday, which was attended by hundreds of laborers, street vendors and teachers.
“Indonesia has huge natural and human resources, so what is needed now is a strong, clean and honest leader to speed up economic development,” Kalla said.
Later in the day, Kalla flew to Padang where he spoke in front of a crowd of over 10,000 people, including hundreds of members of the National Mandate Party (PAN), which formally supports Yudhoyono and Boediono in the election.
In their campaign in Sidoarjo, East Java, Megawati and Prabowo promised they would solve the Lapindo mudflow crisis as soon as possible if they won the election.
On Sunday, Prabowo Subianto signed a political contract with the country’s traditional trader association in the new Porong Market, Sidoarjo, East Java, saying he would protect traditional markets.
“I will ensure the continued existence of traditional markets by giving loans to traders,” Prabowo said, adding that micro finance institutions would provide the loans.
