Held in partnership with PannaFoto Institute, the competition is part of the Post’s 40th anniversary campaign, marking a milestone in the newspaper’s history as it enters its fifth decade of reporting, promoting and safeguarding democracy in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

“A Voice for All: Capturing the Spirit of Participation” aimed to capture compelling, thought-provoking and inspiring moments that showcase the diverse voices, experiences and perspectives of people participating in democratic processes, such as voting, community engagement, social activism and public discourse.

Throughout the submission period, which ran until June 20, the competition received more than 150 entries, which were then narrowed down to a handful of shortlisted finalists by the jury panel, composed of The Jakarta Post editor-in-chief M. Taufiqurrahman, PannaFoto Institute managing director Ng Swan Ti and The Jakarta Post 40th anniversary exhibition curator Rony Zakaria.

After further deliberation, the winners were announced during the opening night of the Portraits of a Nation: Indonesia’s Journey of Change and Resilience exhibition on Aug. 5.

Winning stories

Submissions were judged on their visual approach that includes creativity and technical quality, story description and relevance to the public.

For the general public category, first place was taken by Abriansyah Liberto from Palembang, South Sumatra, whose photo essay titled Hitam Putih Pesta Demokrasi (Black and White Democracy Party) captured the democratic spirit behind the 2019 presidential election through all elements of the process, from visually impaired voters being guided to cast their votes to a member of the voting committee (PPS) undergoing a health check-up.

Speaking to the Post after the award announcement, Abriansyah said the photo essay tells another side of the 2019 election, one that took a toll on the individuals involved.

“These photos capture a moment in time that hopefully will be able to be seen by other people, especially the coming generations,” he said.

Second place was taken by Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara-based Frengki Lollo’s Talas (prohibition in Helong language). Meanwhile, the third place went to Perempuan Kodingareng (Kodingareng Women) by Rejeky Kene from Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Perlahan Tenggelam (Slowly Sinking) by Makassar-based A. Fauzan Sabir Siradj Munir A took home the first prize in the student category, spotlighting the coastal community of Cemarajaya village in Karawang, West Java, as they band together to try and stop the sea from eroding their lives.

Student’s category winners with Ng Swan Ti, managing director of PannaFoto Institute. (Source: The Jakarta Post /.)

According to Fauzan, he wished to portray a continuous lack of interest by stakeholders and policymakers in addressing the issue that affected the community.

“I hope that these photos, once published, will be able to influence policymakers and stakeholders so that they will immediately support the community, as the abrasion has been ongoing for the past three years. The damaged roads not only affect their economy and livelihoods, but also their access to education and health care,” he explained.

The category’s second place went to Makassar-based Alfian’s Resistansi dan Reaksi (Resistance and Reaction), while Jakarta-based Fahmi Widjaya’s From Zero to Hero took home the third place.

Alongside the two categories, the Post also ran a campaign inviting readers to vote for their favorite entries for the reader’s choice category. The vote went to Jakarta-based Syamsudin Ilyas’ Menjaga Asa Anak-Anak Pesisir Jakarta (Safeguarding the Hopes of Coastal Children in Jakarta), which spotlights the enthusiasm radiating from the children of Kalibaru in Cilincing, North Jakarta, as they participated in the Kelas Jurnalis Cilik (Little Journalists’ Class).

Syamsudin pose in front of his photos. (Source: The Jakarta Post /.)

Syamsudin, who hails from the same neighborhood as the children, said the photos represent the struggles for the children’s dream of their future, especially in the field of photography.

“Photography has this reputation of being a medium for the wealthy that can’t reach people with lower income. We taught [the children] photography techniques as well as journalistic practices, and these photos symbolize the coastal children’s spirit against their limitations,” he said.

In addition to cash prizes for all winners, the first-place winners in both categories as well as the reader’s choice favorite pick have their photos displayed as part of the “Portraits of a Nation: Indonesia’s Journey of Change and Resilience” exhibition, which will run until Aug. 19 at The Jakarta Post building.