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Jakarta Post

Prabowo-Hatta officially in the ring

Game on: Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto (left) and his running mate Hatta Rajasa register with the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta Tuesday

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Wed, May 21, 2014

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Prabowo-Hatta officially in the ring Game on: Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto (left) and his running mate Hatta Rajasa register with the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta Tuesday. The pair has been fielded by a coalition consisting of the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Golkar Party and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) (left) and his running mate Hatta Rajasa register with the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta Tuesday. The pair has been fielded by a coalition consisting of the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Golkar Party and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

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span class="inline inline-none">Game on: Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto (left) and his running mate Hatta Rajasa register with the General Elections Commission (KPU) in Jakarta Tuesday. The pair has been fielded by a coalition consisting of the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Golkar Party and the Crescent Star Party (PBB). (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

Hundreds of people gathered at the General Elections Commission (KPU) office under a broiling noon-day sun on Tuesday.

As young members of a marching band wearing traditional Javanese eagle masks performed, a Gerindra Party official whipped up the crowd'€™s enthusiasm for the impending arrival of Gerindra chief patron, Prabowo Subianto, and National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman, Hatta Rajasa to register their presidential and vice-presidential candidacies with the KPU.

'€œWe are here for our next leaders, leaders who will enforce the law and provide welfare to the people. Long live Prabowo-Hatta! Long live Prabowo-Hatta!'€ the leader of the crowd shouted through a megaphone.

Other Gerindra officials, shouting from the back of a pickup truck, went further by defending Prabowo'€™s human-rights records and insisting that he had never been found guilty by a court of law.

A few meters away, some of the band members could be seen taking off their eagle masks to catch their breath.

The crowd, consisting of members of various organizations, mostly Gerindra groups, as well as dozens of women with their children, stood near the walls of the KPU headquarters holding banners that expressed their support and hopes for the candidates.

When the political speeches stopped, the loudspeakers blared dangdut music and Gerindra'€™s anthem to lift the spirits of the crowd, which appeared to be flagging.

Aas, 45, wiped sweat from her brow and said that she and dozens of her neighbors in Ciracas, East Jakarta, had gone to the event only after transportation had been provided by an individual from Gerindra.

'€œBut I also wanted to be here and I hope that Pak Prabowo wins the election. We need a leader who can keep his promises,'€ she said, which could be interpreted as an allusion to Prabowo'€™s rival, Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, who is running for president only two years after being elected as governor of Jakarta.

Not far from the KPU headquarters, workers were seen busily moving chairs and tables in the Museum of the Drafting of the Proclamation of Independence. They said Prabowo would make a speech there before going to the election commission office.

'€œWe set it up hours ago. Prabowo and Hatta will be here before they go to the KPU,'€ said one of the workers who wore a red Gerindra shirt.

At 1:30 p.m., excitement grew among the crowd when they learned that Prabowo and Hatta would arrive in a few minutes.

Shortly after 2 p.m. the crowd went wild after catching a glimpse of Prabowo and Hatta, who arrived on foot from midday prayers at the nearby Sunda Kelapa Mosque.

'€œWho else but Prabowo? Prabowo, my president! Hatta, my vice president!'€ roared a voice from the crowd.

The two could be seen walking with representatives of the political parties that make up the Gerindra coalition: Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Anis Matta, Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie and United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali.

The candidates and party figures were protected by dozens of bodyguards who shouted to the crowd to clear the way.

The entourage then walked quickly past the podium at the museum that had been prepared for Prabowo and Hatta to make a speech. They occasionally smiled and waved to the enthusiastic crowd, but kept moving without a pause.

As the entourage passed, one of the guards collided with an elderly woman, calling out behind him '€œsorry, sorry,'€ as he continued on his way.

The police then escorted Prabowo and Hatta and their entourage to the KPU gates, pushing aside anyone who tried to follow them into the building. Five minutes later, the gates were closed and guarded by more than 30 police officers.

An altercation took place between a bodyguard and police personnel guarding the KPU headquarters. The bodyguard was injured in the incident and a glass door was shattered.

Half an hour later, the candidates emerged after registering with the commission and left the KPU headquarters in a white Toyota Land Cruiser.

Some people shouted to Prabowo, '€œPrabowo, sir, say something.'€

Prabowo responded with a smile and raised his fist into the air through the car'€™s sun roof, while Hatta waved from behind the car'€™s passenger window. (idb)

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