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Nur Mahmudi campaign pledges draw criticism
Incumbent Depok Mayor Nur Mahmudi Ismail, who is leading the quick count in the Depok mayoralty election, will focus his administration on religious, economic and IT issues, rather than urban problems, his campaign aide says
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ncumbent Depok Mayor Nur Mahmudi Ismail, who is leading the quick count in the Depok mayoralty election, will focus his administration on religious, economic and IT issues, rather than urban problems, his campaign aide says.
Head of the incumbent’s campaign team, Prihandoko, said Sunday the mayor and his running mate Idris Abdul Shomad had set four targets for the city — installing eminent religious figures, establishing IT-based public services, building infrastructure, and achieving economic independence.
“Nur Mahmudi, who is a cleric, often visited mosques in Depok to preach about Islam before the campaign period. That’s why the public knows him better [than the other candidates],” he told The Jakarta Post.
“Nur Mahmudi has succeeded in converting Depok’s main streets from asphalt to concrete. This was his flagship infrastructure program, which he would continue in his next period.”
According to Prihandoko, around 22 percent of Depok’s eligible voters supported the Islamist Prosperous Justice Party, which sponsors Nur Mahmudi.
Only half of the registered voters were estimated to have cast ballots on Saturday.
The quick count results from the Policy and Development Strategy Research Center showed Nur Mahmudi and Idris leading the field with 38.38 percent of votes, followed by former Depok mayor Badrul Kamal and running mate Supriyanto (27.78 percent), current deputy mayor Yuyun Wirasaputra and running mate Pradi (22.93 percent) and Depok Fire Department chief Gagah Sunu Soemantri and running mate actor Derry Drajat (10.91 percent).
In 2009, Depok had a population of more than 1.4 million, 92 percent of them Muslim.
Currently Depok does not have its own clean water company (PDAM), and is supplied by Bogor PDAM Tirta Kahuripan. There is also severe traffic congestion in Depok.
During his campaign Nur Mahmudi urged residents to eat and drink with their right hand and banned karaoke.
Many have criticized Nur Mahmudi’s policy of banning drinking beer in the city. City Bylaw 2008 No. 6 on Alcoholic Beverage Supervision and Control bans consumption of alcoholic beverages in several places in Depok.
Some have expressed concern the city is veering toward sharia law.
Tardi Dongkal, 37, a resident who voted for Nur Mahmudi, said he voted for the incumbent because of his idea of converting asphalt roads to concrete, as well as for a program that provided compensation for families in the event of a death in the family.
Nur Mahmudi’s administration has handed out Rp 2 million for every Depok resident who has died since 2007, regardless of cause of death.
Andrinof Chaniago, a public policy expert from the University of Indonesia, said such programs were deceiving.
“Many voters including those who abstained from voting do not understand politics. Many who do not want him to rule once again have not cast their ballots because they do not know whether their voice would make a difference,” he said.
“Nur Mahmudi failed to curb traffic congestion [because he did not] implement a traffic improvement program; instead he chose the concrete road program. As for religious matters, he is mimicking the PKS’ policy,” he said. (ipa)
