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.

Jakarta Post

W. Java candidates appeal to Muslim voters during debate

West Java gubernatorial candidates were quick to use the first televised public debate on Monday evening to appeal to Muslim voters in the province — the most populous Muslim province in the country

Arya Dipa and Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post)
Bandung/Jakarta
Wed, March 14, 2018

Share This Article

Change Size

W. Java candidates appeal to Muslim voters during debate

W

est Java gubernatorial candidates were quick to use the first televised public debate on Monday evening to appeal to Muslim voters in the province — the most populous Muslim province in the country.

Four candidate pairs — Ridwan Kamil-Uu Ruzhanul Ulum (endorsed by NasDem, the National Awakening Party, the United Development Party and Hanura); Tubagus Hasanuddin–Anton Charliyan (the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle), Sudrajat-Ahmad Syaikhu (the Prosperous Justice Party, the National Mandate Party and Gerindra); and Deddy Mizwar-Dedi Mulyadi (Golkar Party and the Democratic Party) — took to the stage to convey their ideas at the Sasana Budaya Ganesha Convention Hall in Bandung, West Java, in a public debate organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU) West Java and televised by Kompas TV.

In the first segment of the two-hour event, each pair was given an opportunity to convey their programs, while in the next two segments, they had to answer questions prepared by local academics. Candidates were also able to challenge each other’s programs and policies, as some of the candidates were incumbents. Ridwan is the incumbent Bandung mayor, while his running mate, Uu, is the incumbent Tasikmalaya regent. Deddy is the current West Java deputy governor while running mate Dedi is the Purwakarta regent.

In one session, for example, Ahmad Syaikhu challenged Dedi’s policy of wrapping trees in Purwakarta with fabric. “It is an irony, when lots of children [in the regency] cannot afford to wear pants. You aim to honor trees but fail to honor humans,” he said. Dedi argued that he preferred that trees be wrapped in fabric rather than in random advertisements.

Speaking to reporters after the debate, Dedi, assuming that Syaikhu’s question was leading voters to think that his policy was not in line with mainstream religious views, defended himself.

“We don’t have sharia issues in Purwakarta. Did you see people worshipping trees in Purwakarta? There’s no such thing!” he said, adding that, “Syaikhu and I have different views, and that’s fine in politics.”

Meanwhile, Sudrajat and Ahmad Syaikhu explicitly said they envisioned development enriched with religious values for West Java.

Mixing Indonesian words with Arabic, Ridwan Kamil, an architect by training, opened his remarks by saying, “Our mission is clear: a West Java that enjoins what is right and avoids what is wrong by learning from ulema, just leaders […].”

Paramadina University political communications expert Hendri Satrio said the four pairs were “working hard to keep Muslim votes”.

Hendri also said the first debate had failed to look deeper into their programs.

Meanwhile, Padjadjaran University state politics and policy lecturer Idil Akbar said the debate lacked substance.

“I would give five or six [out of 10]. They failed to communicate their programs effectively. They tended to use poetic or rather philosophical terms,” he said, emphasizing that 60 percent of the West Java population lived in rural settings.

The Association of West Java Student Senates said they were unimpressed by the first debate.

“Today’s debate failed to unravel their programs for West Java. We challenge the candidate pairs to have discussions with us students. What they offer does not necessarily correspond with what the public needs,” said Fauzan Rizki, 23, a student of Pasundan University in Bandung and a member of the association.

A West Java voter, Pitra Moeis, 38, said he remained indecisive after the first debate. “Eventually, I will probably vote for the better pair just to prevent the worst from holding power,” he said.

The Monday debate was the first out of three official public debates organized by the KPU West Java.

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.