Presidential hopefuls pull out all the stops for debate

“Don’t wipe your mouth too often, please,” advised the JK-Wiranto campaign team ahead of the presidential debate today.

Jusuf Kalla and Megawati Soekarnoputri have undergone intense training with their campaign teams about how to deal with substantive issues in the live debate to be aired on Trans TV.

“Kalla is well prepared for the debate. He will promote his unique strategy and appearance,” said Indra J. Piliang.

According to Indra, a member of the JK-Wiranto campaign team, the public will find that JK has sharpened his image and his political know-how.

JK-Wiranto's image projection team has advised Kalla on his physical appearance, incluing his outfit, during the televised debate.

Regarding substance, he said, the JK-Wiranto campaign team had recruited 31 experts led by Thomas Suyatno, a former rector from Atma Jaya University and a prominent banking analyst, to provide political advice to Kalla.  

Separately, a member from the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Boediono campaign team, said the pair had not received media training as they were both familiar with daily TV appearances.

"They are not a pair of students preparing for final exams. They both have knowledge sufficient to answer any questions raised," Max Sopacua from the SBY-Boediono campaign team said.

Anas Urbaningrum, another SBY team member said in a text message to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday night, "A televised event is not new to Yudhoyono. He is a master of all the topics that will be discussed. SBY is Insyallah [God willing] very prepared for the event."

Megawati is also expected to have increased her appeal through a series of training with experts as her sparring partners.

According to Ganjar Pranowo, a member of the Mega-Pro campaign, those involved in her training team, include former farming minister Bungaran Saragih, former environment minister Sonny Keraf and economist M. Prakosa.

The public forum, the first official debate organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU), will be held five times, with each debate covering different themes and being regulated by different moderators.

Lili Romli, a political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI), said the atmosphere of the debate would be heated and tense, but the candidates would have to control their emotion as the debates would be live to air.

“Kalla is likely to be relaxed and straightforward, while Yudhoyono will be systematic and careful. Megawati may be rather uncertain. It will be an interesting program to watch.” He said the role of moderators would be to steer the debates from general to the specific.

Dicky Christanton and Faisal contributed to the story from Jakarta.