The General Elections Commission (KPU) will hold the first of five public debates on Thursday, pitting the incumbent, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, against his estranged vice president, Jusuf Kalla, and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The candidates will face off three times before the July 8 election while their running mates - economist Boediono (SBY) and former Army generals Wiranto (Kalla) and Prabowo Subianto (Megawati) – will vie for votes in two of their own debates.
Public debates are still a novelty in our nascent democracy. They did not leave much of a mark when they were first introduced in 2004. In fact, they were so ineffectual in swaying voters one way or another that people have since questioned whether they are worth the trouble of organizing, or, moreover, wasting time watching.
But in a democracy where communication skills are increasingly seen as a sign of ones ability to lead, a properly organized public debate provides the best opportunity for gauging the ability of our would-be leaders to argue and persuade with words, and not bullets, as was the case for so much of this country’s modern history.
These debates, which will be aired live on several national television networks, provide candidates with an opportunity to sell their platforms and, most importantly, to sell themselves. They will obviously have rehearsed and will anticipate the toughest questions. They will also have the opportunity to outwit their competitors, since they are given the opportunity to indirectly ask each other questions through the moderators.
Voters will be given a rare chance to scrutinize how the candidates present themselves, how they address issues of national importance and how they answer tough questions. Having participated in two democratic elections since 1999, voters should know when a candidate is overselling themselves, and whether or not they are being genuine and sincere. Voters will also be comparing candidates’ words with their past deeds.
We can, for now, put aside those surveys that predict the election will be a landslide victory for the incumbent; as the saying goes, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings and a lot of things can happen before July 8. There are still many undecided and confused voters whose hearts and minds could be won or lost through these debates.
In spite of his huge lead in almost all polls, Yudhoyono knows that he cannot take things for granted and that he still has to work hard in order to maintain his lead. His two challengers know they have a fighting chance of beating the hot favorite despite of what the polls may say. The candidates know that these debates, imperfect as they may be, are the most effective way of reaching out to Indonesia’s 170 million voters.
Not all six candidates are known for their eloquence. Most still come across as patronizing, with their father-(or mother)-knows-best attitude. Sometimes they even downright insult our intelligence.
Going by their recent appearances on TV talk shows, most of the candidates still talk at the people, rather than to the people. The communication skill of most of the candidates leaves a lot to be desired. One or two candidates will most likely come away from these debates deeply regretting their decision to participate in the first place.
Since many voters find it hard to distinguish between the platforms of the three pairs – they are all nationalists, they are all “pro-people” and all profess to be for democracy – this election could very well come down to questions of personality, appearance, conduct and character – all of which will be put to the test in the five public debates.
Don’t go away. Stay tuned.
