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A note for the second presidential debate
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Presidential candidates Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin, General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Arief Budiman (center) and presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno are on stage during the first candidate debate on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2019. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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mid the growing excitement among the public, the General Elections Commission (KPU) will hold the second televised presidential debate on Sunday night.
A central topic is infrastructure, which has been at the heart of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s first term agenda. Unlike the previous debate, the KPU will not brief the candidates on the list of possible questions in the hope of bringing more spontaneity and ingenuity to the show.
With neither cheat sheets nor their VP nominees on stage, Jokowi and Prabowo Subianto will have to address the questions based on their personal experience and knowledge. This article provides unsolicited advice about what they should focus on regarding infrastructure so that a meaningful discussion can take place, unlike the last debate, which felt rehearsed and bland.
Jokowi should begin with a simple question: What would Prabowo do differently if elected as president? It is not easy to point out the downsides of Jokowi’s infrastructure policy and offer some plausible alternatives. In four years, Jokowi has built 947 kilometers of toll roads, 3,432 km of regular roads, 39.8 km of bridges, 10 new airports, 19 ports and 17 dams. His ability to get things done is undeniable and the outcomes of his work are tangible.
