Candidates bring in 'big guns' as poll day nears

I Wayan Juniartha ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Denpasar   |  Thu, 05/08/2008 11:03 AM  |  Lifestyle

With election day just two months away, the candidates for the upcoming Bali gubernatorial election have shifted their pre-campaign political marketing efforts into high gear.

Cokorde Budi Suryawan, a figure from the influential royal family of Ubud and former two-time regent of Gianyar, has virtually saturated the island with billboards, banners, placards and stickers bearing an image of his princely demeanor with a charming smile across his face.

The usually low-profile seasoned politician, who is endorsed by the island's second largest political party -- the Golkar party -- and a coalition of minor political parties, has even gone as far as having jumbo-sized stickers of him and his running mate, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Suweta, plastered across the rear windows of bemo, public transportation minivans.

The other candidate, Jembrana regent I Gede Winasa, might not be as handsome as Suryawan, but he is certainly no less aggressive when it comes to using public spaces for his political advertising.

Known for his cunning political strategies -- he succeeded in helping his wife get elected as the regent of East Java's Banyuwangi, despite heavy public opposition -- Winasa has had billboards erected at every known strategic spot on the island.

The spots include at each city or town border, in front of public markets, along vital traffic arteries and even directly opposite the Bali Safari and Marine Park, the island's bustling recent attraction.

Winasa was also the first candidate to recruit "big guns" -- popular public figures -- in his camp to gain more exposure. In his camp now are Lolak, arguably the most sought after comedian on the island, and two of Jakarta's most powerful lawyers, OC Kaligis and Ruhut Sitompul.

"At this point, each candidate is trying to beat the other in getting the most media and public exposure. Naturally, having a group of popular or influential figures in their camps is seen as a way to strategically expand the possibility of getting that exposure," scholar Ketut Sumarta said.

The lawyers will certainly come handy when things get a little murky for Winasa: The events that have unfurled in the last two weeks have certainly showed that the road ahead promises Winasa no smooth ride. Legislators from the Jembrana Legislative Council are showing signs of mutiny; attacking Winasa's development policies in the regency and exposing what they claim to be discrepancies in his development projects.

Moreover, people from Winasa's home village of Tegalcangkring have approached the Bali Legislative Council to inform legislators that Winasa professes to two religions; Hindu and Islam. They allege that Winasa claimed he was a Hindu when he ran for the post of Jembrana regent. Yet, he allegedly stated he was a Moslem when he married Ratna Ani Lestari, a devout Moslem who later became the regent of Banyuwangi.

Winasa isn't alone in bringing in the "big guns". Made Mangku Pastika, the three-star police general who gained international recognition for his role in apprehending the terrorists responsible for the infamous 2002 Bali Bombings, has taken a similar approach.

However, unlike Winasa, Pastika, who is endorsed by the island's largest political power -- the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) --, turned to a figure within the party itself: None other than the party's chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Megawati Soekarnoputri herself has repeatedly declared that the PDI Perjuangan must win the gubernatorial election and that the local PDI Perjuangan's legislators would receive severe political sanctions if they failed to generate enough public support to ensure the victory.

The threat of political sanctions is not surprising to the party's political elites, given the fact the party lost three regent posts -- Karangasem, Badung, and, most recently, Gianyar -- in previous elections.

"Megawati just wanted to send the message out that we must work seriously this time. Another defeat is simply unacceptable for a party that has the largest constituents on the island," said Adenan, a party official.

Scores of local political observers have argued that bringing in the "big guns" would not provide the candidates with a significant boost, saying the general public would not be easily deceived by such gimmicks.

"The candidates should be very careful in this matter. The fact that a potential voter adores an actress or a comedian doesn't always mean that the voter will embrace the actress' political thoughts or support the actress' political choice," a local journalist said.

Only time will tell if the "big guns" will play a pivotal role in winning the candidates more votes in the upcoming election, slated to be held on July 9.

However, one thing is certain, "big guns" still attract public attention and curiosity: Megawati Soekarnoputri's impromptu morning visit to a public market in Mengwi, Badung, on Wednesday was clear evidence of this.

Her presence in the bustling market immediately drew a huge crowd of housewives, shoppers and sellers. Megawati worked her charm and easily transformed the crowd into a passionate group of PDI Perjuangan supporters.

"I will always vote for the party and any figure endorsed by Ibu Mega," Wayan Gupti, a female satay seller said.

Megawati used the momentum to introduce Made Mangku Pastika as the party's candidate to the awaiting crowd. It had an instant effect on Ni Nyoman Munduh, a commodity trader, who, a few minutes beforehand, said she wasn't sure which candidate she would vote for.

"Of course now I will vote for Mangku Pastika," she said with a tone of confidence in her voice.

A  |   A  |   A  |    |   |    |    |    |  

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.