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Jokowi pushes 9-point plan
Enactment: Residents of Johar Baru in Central Jakarta show letters from the local election authority, inviting them to take part in a presidential election simulation on Thursday
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Enactment: Residents of Johar Baru in Central Jakarta show letters from the local election authority, inviting them to take part in a presidential election simulation on Thursday. The government has called on people to exercise their right to vote on July 9. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean) (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
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span class="inline inline-none">Enactment: Residents of Johar Baru in Central Jakarta show letters from the local election authority, inviting them to take part in a presidential election simulation on Thursday. The government has called on people to exercise their right to vote on July 9. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
In West Java, home to a conservative Muslim base that has largely backed Prabowo Subianto, presidential frontrunner Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo pledged on Thursday to provide more resources for the development of Islamic boarding schools and teachers.
The pledge came as part of a nine-point working agenda titled the 'Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla real program', launched in West Java's capital city of Bandung.
'There is no doubt that the contribution of pesantren [Islamic boarding schools] to our education system is very important. It would be a mistake if the government did not take over their development,' said Jokowi.
'Helping pesantren is a must.'
Jokowi and Kalla held a joint press conference in Bandung on the sidelines of Jokowi's last push to woo voters in the country's biggest electorate pocket. The province accounts for 17.5 percent of the nation's 188 million eligible voters.
Jokowi has acknowledged the difficulty of luring voters from the province. 'We are quite weak here.'
The province's governor, Ahmad Heryawan, is a politician with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), while the mayor of Bandung, Ridwan Kamil, is supported by PKS and Prabowo's Gerindra Party. PKS is in Prabowo's nominating coalition.
Although Jokowi's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) won the recent legislative election in the province, votes for Jokowi remain fluid due in large part to a smear campaign that has labeled him a Christian of Chinese descent born of a Singaporean parent.
In campaign events in the province, Jokowi has repeatedly denied the allegation.
'Now you can see my ndeso [village] face so you can witness for yourself that I don't have Singaporean looks as has been alleged,' said Jokowi before thousands of supporters in Garut.
Aside from religious schools, Jokowi also emphasized in his nine-point plan the allocation of an average Rp 1.4 billion (US$117,474) in special aid funds to every village in the country, as well as recruiting village officials as civil servants.
He also vowed to provide a Rp 1-million monthly subsidy for poor families should the national economy grow by more than 7 percent annually.
As West Java is a rice farming hub, Jokowi also promised a land ownership program to 4.5 million families, and pledged to revitalize irrigation on 3 million hectares of farmland.
Perhaps upon hearing of Jokowi's redoubled efforts in West Java, Prabowo canceled his campaign events in East Java and headed to West Java.
While Jokowi attended a mass gathering on Thursday afternoon at Tegallega Square in Bandung city, Prabowo visited supporters in Ciparay, a district in Bandung regency.
The candidates' rallies were held only around 50 kilometers away from each other.
According to the schedule submitted by Prabowo's campaign team to the General Elections Commission (KPU) last month, he was initially scheduled to visit the East Java cities of Tuban and Bojonegoro on Thursday, raising speculation that the team was no longer expecting victory in the country's most populous province.
Prabowo campaign spokesperson Bara Hasibuan, however, quickly denied the speculation, saying that Prabowo considered both provinces equally important.
'We are confident about the prospect of winning in East Java. We have also seen West Java as an important campaign battleground that could provide a significant number of votes for us.'
Prabowo's running mate Hatta Rajasa also visited the West Java city of Tasikmalaya after making a short trip in Central Java.
Jokowi ' Jusuf Kalla real programs
'¢ Increase the salary of Indonesian Military (TNI) officers, police officers and civil servants gradually over five years and improve their professionalism.
'¢ Allocate an average of Rp 1.4 billion (US$117,474) in special aid funds to every village. Recruit village officials as civil servants.
'¢ Provide a Rp 1-million monthly subsidy to poor families should the national economy grow by more than 7 percent annually.
'¢ Offer a land ownership program to 4.5 million families. Establish or revitalize irrigation on 3 million hectares (ha) of farmland. Establish 25 dams and 1 million ha of new agricultural land outside of Java. Establish a bank for farmers and small businesses. Empower the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
'¢ Revitalize 5,000 traditional markets and establish fish auction, storage and processing facilities.
'¢ Provide 10 million new jobs within five years. Provide every cooperative with a Rp 10-million annual support fund. Empower and promote digital and creative industries.
'¢ Provide free inpatient and outpatient services with Healthy Indonesia Card (KIS). Provide 6,000 community health centers (Puskesmas) with inpatient facilities and clean water.
'¢ Improve the education quality of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) and increase the welfare of their teachers.
'¢ Provide education for all citizens with Smart Indonesia Card (KIP). Provide quality education facilities and syllabus. Guarantee teachers' welfare and increase teachers' benefit. Continue the teacher certification program.
