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Democracy needs lesser of two evils
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Clean campaign: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) and his challenger in this year’s presidential election, Prabowo Subianto, walk hand-in-hand during an event held in Jakarta on Sept. 23, 2018, in which they vowed to combat hoaxes and ethnic, religious, racial and ideological sentiments during the campaign period. (The Jakarta Post/Wendra Ajistyatama )
Two presidential debates have passed. Both candidates have made blunders and stated false facts.
In the first debate, Prabowo Subianto, in response to a question from the incumbent, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, regarding Prabowo’s Gerindra Party being the party with the highest number of former corruption convicts running as legislative candidates, justified the candidacies by saying “… maybe the corruption was not that much”.
While in the second debate, Jokowi claimed that no conflicts had been caused by land acquisition for infrastructure projects in the last four and a half years, which was quickly pointed out as false by fact checkers.
Beyond the debate chamber, disappointment in the candidates includes issues of human rights.
During President Jokowi’s term, he has failed to prevent the persecution of religious minorities, sexual minorities and those with different political views.
The South East Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFE Net) claimed that between January 2015 and February 2018, 65 violations of freedom of expression had occurred.
Meanwhile, his opposition cites the persecution of figures infamous for their expressions of intolerance who publicly support Prabowo such as Rizieq Shihab and Muhammad Al Khaththath.
