Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) presidential candidate Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo visited several cities in West Java and Banten on his ongoing campaign trail on Thursday and Friday, aiming to lure swing voters in the regions. He kicked off the weekend'€™s campaign trail by meeting PDI-P supporters in Sukabumi, a Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) stronghold.

Jokowi said he was confident that the PDI-P would clinch more than 30 percent of the vote in the city.

'€œYou have to work hard. I am working very hard. I might be skinny but I am a bull,'€ Jokowi said on Thursday, referring to the party'€™s symbol.

On Friday morning, the Jakarta governor, activist-turned-politician Teten Masduki and Banten Deputy Governor Rano Karno continued the campaign trail to Serang and Cilegon, two Banten cities that are traditional strongholds of the Golkar Party.

Jokowi said the PDI-P was expecting to garner 20 percent of the total votes in Banten in the April 9 legislative election. In 2009, the Democratic Party (PD) secured the most votes in Banten with 22.6 percent, followed by Golkar with 14.4 percent, and the PDI-P with 10.1 percent.

Despite their position as runner-up, Golkar has successfully reinforced its dominance in the Banten administration in recent years, with Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah being the main driver of its strong grip there. Different members of Atut'€™s family, for example, control five of Banten'€™s eight regencies and municipalities,

Last year, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Atut a suspect for her role in a bribery case involving former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar, in which a favorable court ruling was sought for Lebak Deputy Regent Amir Hamzah.

The PKS has been struggling to maintain its popularity ahead of the legislative election after the KPK revealed last year the involvement of its former chairman, Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, in a beef-import graft case.

The PKS only finished fourth in West Java in the 2009 legislative election, behind PD, the PDI-P and Golkar. The Islamic-based party, however, successfully supported its candidate to win the province'€™s gubernatorial election in 2008 and 2013.

Also on Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Democratic Party chairman, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Hatta Rajasa, and Gerindra Party chief patron and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto visited different venues in Medan, North Sumatra, to address their respective party'€™s rally.

While Hatta highlighted his party'€™s programs in education and agrarian reform, Yudhoyono pledged to immediately solve the province'€™s recent power crisis.

'€œThe most important thing is that the power supply to Medan and North Sumatra must be sufficient,'€ he said at Merdeka Square.

Prabowo, who has been considered one of the strongest presidential contenders, meanwhile, used his speech to criticize the performance of the country'€™s leaders.

'€œToday we have seen many leaders who can easily lie [to their people]. They give too many promises but forget all of them once they secure the [leadership] seat. But Indonesian people don'€™t want to be cheated again, Indonesian people are not fools,'€ he said.

In Jakarta, the Hanura Party held its rally at Blok S Square with its chairman and presidential candidate Wiranto and vice presidential candidate Hary Tanoesoedibjo attending as the party'€™s main campaigners.

In front of thousands of attendants, Hary called the party supporters to cast their vote in the legislative election. '€œIf you choose to abstain [in the election], it means that you have given up you hope to other people.'€

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