TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Firm nationalist views shared
Friendlier terms: Presidential candidate Joko âJokowiâ Widodo (left) shakes hands with rival candidate Prabowo Subianto during their presidential debate at Gran Melia Hotel in Jakarta on Sunday night
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
F
span class="caption">Friendlier terms: Presidential candidate Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo (left) shakes hands with rival candidate Prabowo Subianto during their presidential debate at Gran Melia Hotel in Jakarta on Sunday night. Sunday's debate was the second of five debates before the election on July 9. JP/Wendra Ajistyatama
Both presidential candidates put forth strong nationalistic views during their second televised debate on Sunday, showing similarities in vision but differences in approach.
While Prabowo Subianto's demeanor was for the most part defensive, rival Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo brought out Prabowo's sentimental side when after agreeing with the Jakarta governor's response to a question on creative economy, the former general crossed the stage to shake his rival's hand.
'My advisory group told me that I should disagree with every word and idea you say. For now, I say, I disagree with them,' said Prabowo before the handshake.
'I sympathize with your idea due to the fact that my son, who is known globally, is working in the creative economy. And your idea, this time is for the benefit of our creative minds and the people as well.'
Prabowo's only child, Didiet Prabowo, is a fashion designer.
Both candidates, who dressed the same as they did in the first debate but seemed better prepared in their statements this time around, spent most of their time talking about the 'people's economy'.
Like in the first debate, Prabowo tended to be macro and general in his answers, while Jokowi's remarks were more micro and backed with real-world examples.
Prabowo's main point was on the 'leakage' of Indonesia's assets, which his team had calculated to total more than Rp 1 quadrillion (US$84.56 billion), that could be saved to bolster economic growth and people's prosperity.
He also blamed foreign investors for pillaging Indonesia's resources. 'Don't let foreign investment take away the prosperity of the Indonesian people. We must ensure that any foreign investor will cooperate with the government in order to strengthen the economy.'
While welcoming the advent of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, Jokowi also played to nationalistic sentiment by declaring his intention to put restriction in place to limit the inflow of foreign businesses.
'The authority should set up barriers to avert massive expansion of overseas business here. Why, because local firms also face similar barriers to expand overseas. So, it is necessary to apply a reciprocity principle,' he said.
Jokowi also said that under his administration, the economy could grow above 7 percent, mostly by cutting red tape and providing incentives for export-oriented industry.
While the debate was mostly formal in tone, Jokowi broke the ice by associating his campaign number '2' with repeated mentions of Indonesia's popular, old-school campaign 'two children are enough' to answer a question about family planning.
When asked by Prabowo about his infrastructure vision, Jokowi mentioned deep-water seaports and double-track railways as keys to Indonesia's infrastructure bottlenecks that have hindered the competitiveness and export potential of local products that could spur economic growth.
Jokowi cited that it was more expensive to transport goods from the western part of Indonesia to the eastern part than it was to send them from Java to Europe.
Prabowo, who expressed that the agricultural sector was a priority to improve employment and welfare of the people, promised to channel Rp 1 billion to each village each year if he was elected, a statement that was corrected by Jokowi, who said that it was not only his pledge, but it was stipulated in a law on villages that the central government should distribute up to Rp 1.4 billion for villages.
Harry Su, head of equities and research at state brokerage Bahana Securities, said the market's reaction would be subdued as there were 'no major surprises' in the debate. According to him, it was difficult to differentiate between the two candidates.
'Their visions and platforms remain relatively similar. This will make viewers or voters have difficulty in differentiating between the two. And as a result, I think that the presidential race will remain quite close and tight,' Harry said in a telephone interview after the debate.
Tony A. Prasetiantono, an economist from Gadjah Mada University, said Jokowi appeared more 'down to earth' and his policies seemed more realistic. Prabowo's main point, on the other hand, was considered weak because it was derived solely from a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) statement about 'leakage' in the country's economy that totaled Rp 7.2 quadrillion. Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) only amounts to Rp 9.2 quadrillion and the 2014 state budget was Rp 1.8 quadrillion.
'Jokowi exceeded expectation, answering questions well and in a relevant way. For instance, he wants economic growth of more than 7 percent. This is relevant and contextual. Whoever the president will be, a 7 percent economic growth must be achieved,' he added. (dyl)
Key points in the debate
Prabowo:
'¢ Economic growth: A people's economy is a push for a 'middle-way economy; an economy based on family values'. Based on Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution, the economy must be handled by the government and cooperation with the private sector should be for the benefit of the people. The government has to be there to protect and assist those who cannot compete at the 21st century's economic pace. The government has to ensure that no citizen is left behind. It must not just act as a referee in assisting the citizen economy; it must also become a player.
'¢ Investment: We are open to foreign investment, but it should not take benefits or prosperity away from the Indonesian people. Foreign investors must cooperate with the government in order to strengthen the economy of the people. We are not anti-foreign investment, but do not invest in Indonesia using Indonesia's money.
'¢ Unemployment and poverty: Focus on the agricultural sector first because it holds the fastest and simplest prospects. It can absorb labor in a short amount of time, and the yield of the agricultural sector can be obtained immediately. Around 77 million hectares of forest have already been destroyed. We will convert that destroyed land into rice fields or use it for biofuel.
'¢ Health: Focus on increasing healthcare services including raising the wages of healthcare workers and increasing the number of healthcare workers. It is what is called the big push strategy ' strengthen our economy and make our people prosper so that the population can be controlled.
'¢ Trade deficit/budget deficit: Our trade deficit is due to our funds and resources leaking out of Indonesia. A government must aim to stop those leaks.
Jokowi:
'¢ Economic growth: The economy could grow by over 7 percent by reducing red tape and providing greater opportunities for local investors to contribute. Business licenses should be simplified, including building permits [IMB] and operational licenses [SIUP]. Investors should be encouraged to invest in regions. Export-oriented industry should be provided with huge incentives. Our ambassadors should not only focus on diplomacy but also on marketing our products.
'¢ ASEAN Economic Community: The government should further support it. There should be efforts made to safeguard the local market through barriers to avert the massive expansion of overseas business in Indonesia. It is necessary to apply a principle of reciprocity.
'¢ Mining, oil and gas contract renegotiation: Respect the contracts as they serve as a token of trust toward the government. When contracts expire, the government should recalculate its benefits. If it is beneficial for Indonesia, the government can take it over through state-owned enterprises [SOEs]. The government will renegotiate contracts as soon as possible when they are about to expire. The most important thing when making future contracts is to go into detail, and we should avoid contracts that disadvantage us.
'¢ Investment: It should be channeled to regions with high rates of unemployment and poverty. It should not be focused only on Sumatra and Java.
'¢ Infrastructure: Build toll roads over the sea to link major islands, construct more double-track railways and build more deep-water seaports.
'¢ Human resource competitiveness: Build human resources through education, which should be achieved through a 'mental revolution'. In the health sector, introduce Indonesia Sehat [Healthy Indonesia] insurance cards. To develop people's intelligence, introduce Indonesia Pintar [Smart Indonesia] cards. These will increase the competitiveness of human resources.
'¢ Poverty: Introduce special programs for poor people. Develop the system without focusing only on budget disbursement. Based on experience, health and education have always been major problems for poor people.
'¢ Labor: Being the first governor to raise the minimum wage in Jakarta by more than 44 percent took courage and was met with protests. The steep increase was needed because there had been no significant rise in wages in the preceding five years.
'¢ Population problem: Curb the growth in population through extensive family planning campaigns. There would be special funds to support this program, which could be executed with the existing budget.
