Central Java is largely expected to end up being an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) stronghold in the 11th general election this year. Still, the party is not completely dominant in the country’s third-largest province in terms of population. The Jakarta Post’s Central Java correspondent, Suherdjoko, offers a local view on the matter.

Ignoring the scorching heat, three young friends — Widi, Totok and Rahmat — were dancing passionately to the tune of a dangdut song performed by Reza Lawang Sewu during a PDI-P rally at Tri Lomba Juang Square in Semarang recently.  

Wearing red shirts with the party’s famous logo, a bull, the three friends, who will vote for the first time in the upcoming April 9 legislative election, showed their devotion to the party by staying in front of the campaign stage until PDI-P secretary-general Tjahjo Kumolo, the party’s main campaigner, finally left the venue.

“Let’s be happy […] the campaign period is the time when we can dance all day without worrying about hunger or thirst. My choice is none other than the bull,” Widi told the Post.  

Data from the General Elections Commission (KPU) shows that there are 27.1 million registered voters for the April 9 legislative election in Central Java. Voters will cast their ballots at one of the province’s 77,693 polling stations.  

In 2009, the PDI-P, the country’s third-largest party overall, won the legislative election in Central Java after it secured 22.98 percent of the vote. The Democratic Party came in second with 15.74 percent, followed by the Golkar Party with 11.54 percent and the National Mandate Party (PAN) with 6.71 percent.

The PDI-P’s campaign in Semarang, which was attended by thousands of party supporters, shows that the party has successfully maintained its grip in one of the country’s most populated provinces.

“Over the past 10 years, the PDI-P has chosen to be an opposition party. This means it has been easy to manage consolidation with party members,” PDI-P Central Java chapter secretary Nuniek Sriyuningsih said.    

Referring to the party’s performance in Central Java in the past three elections, Nuniek said the PDI-P had decided it would not be overconfident.

In spite of being the province’s biggest party over the past 15 years, the PDI-P has seen its number of seats in the Central Java Legislative Council (DPRD) shrink from 39 out of 100 in 1999; to 31 in 2004; and 23 in 2009.

“Looking at the party’s performance, we are upbeat we will secure up to 37 DPRD seats,” Nuniek said, adding that dozens of PDI-P politicians were now serving as regional or deputy regional heads in 22 of Central Java’s
35 cities.

Central Java is largely expected to end up being an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) stronghold in the 11th general election this year. Still, the party is not completely dominant in the country'€™s third-largest province in terms of population. The Jakarta Post'€™s Central Java correspondent, Suherdjoko, offers a local view on the matter.

Ignoring the scorching heat, three young friends '€” Widi, Totok and Rahmat '€” were dancing passionately to the tune of a dangdut song performed by Reza Lawang Sewu during a PDI-P rally at Tri Lomba Juang Square in Semarang recently.  

Wearing red shirts with the party'€™s famous logo, a bull, the three friends, who will vote for the first time in the upcoming April 9 legislative election, showed their devotion to the party by staying in front of the campaign stage until PDI-P secretary-general Tjahjo Kumolo, the party'€™s main campaigner, finally left the venue.

'€œLet'€™s be happy ['€¦] the campaign period is the time when we can dance all day without worrying about hunger or thirst. My choice is none other than the bull,'€ Widi told the Post.  

Data from the General Elections Commission (KPU) shows that there are 27.1 million registered voters for the April 9 legislative election in Central Java. Voters will cast their ballots at one of the province'€™s 77,693 polling stations.  

In 2009, the PDI-P, the country'€™s third-largest party overall, won the legislative election in Central Java after it secured 22.98 percent of the vote. The Democratic Party came in second with 15.74 percent, followed by the Golkar Party with 11.54 percent and the National Mandate Party (PAN) with 6.71 percent.

The PDI-P'€™s campaign in Semarang, which was attended by thousands of party supporters, shows that the party has successfully maintained its grip in one of the country'€™s most populated provinces.

'€œOver the past 10 years, the PDI-P has chosen to be an opposition party. This means it has been easy to manage consolidation with party members,'€ PDI-P Central Java chapter secretary Nuniek Sriyuningsih said.    

Referring to the party'€™s performance in Central Java in the past three elections, Nuniek said the PDI-P had decided it would not be overconfident.

In spite of being the province'€™s biggest party over the past 15 years, the PDI-P has seen its number of seats in the Central Java Legislative Council (DPRD) shrink from 39 out of 100 in 1999; to 31 in 2004; and 23 in 2009.

'€œLooking at the party'€™s performance, we are upbeat we will secure up to 37 DPRD seats,'€ Nuniek said, adding that dozens of PDI-P politicians were now serving as regional or deputy regional heads in 22 of Central Java'€™s
35 cities.