How we campaign: Joe Hansen (second right), a strategic for US President Barack Obama's campaign, explains how Obama won the US election, at a seminar in Jakarta on Wednesday. Looking on are (from left) Daniel Dhakidae, of LP3ES, Ati Nurbaiti of The Jakarta Post and Nur Rachmi of the Frederich Nauman Stiftung. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislative candidate Apong Herlina has set up a website, a Facebook profile a blog to garner support for her bid for a seat at the House of Representatives.

She admitted her move to use the Internet was inspired by the success of Barack Obama in winning the US presidential election.

"But after seeing little public response through Facebook and email, I've gone back to the *door-to-door' campaign approach, visiting people to ask for their support," she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

"I'm not confident yet about the effectiveness of the Internet to woo voters," said Apong, running for the constituency of Central Jakarta, South Jakarta and Indonesians overseas - believed to be a main center for Internet users.

National Awakening Party (PKB) candidate Saryono Jahidi said had no plans to use the Internet that way. "Most of my targeted voters have no access to computers," said Sarjono, running for the electoral district of Kuningan, Banjar and Ciamis, all in West Java.

More than 12,000 candidates from 38 parties will vie for 560 House seats at the April 9 legislative elections.

On Wednesday, Joe Hansen, a strategist for US President Obama's successful campaign, shared his knowledge with 100 Indonesian legislative candidates and political consultants on how to use cyber media in election campaigns.

Hansen said the use of the Internet and "creative" campaigns on television stations had played an important role in Obama's victory, including in raising funds.

He explained that Obama's campaign managed to boost voter turnout, including in Iowa State, from less than 100,000 to 150,000 voters in the 2007 elections.

He said legislative candidates could start promoting the use of the Internet to win votes, with the number of Internet users set to continue to rise in Indonesia.

"The development will be the same as in the Philippines," he told the public dialogue in Jakarta.

He added the number of Internet users was only 5 million in 2005 in the Philippines, but by 2007 had jumped to 20 million.

"You *Indonesia* have a lot of people interested in the Internet."

A recent survey by the Indonesian Society for Civilized Elections (ISCEL) revealed that only three parties contesting the upcoming elections were making full use of the Internet for campaigning.

The three are the Democratic Party, the PDI-P and the United Development Party (PPP).

Recent estimates put the number of Internet users here at more than 25 million; the number of registered voters is about 170 million.

Political analyst Daniel Dhakidae said candidates could start emulating Obama's tactics through Youtube, Facebook, blogs, email and cell phone messages.

"Obama combined all sophisticated technology facilities to support his campaigns. But the quality of the *product' still depends on the main message used in the campaign," he said, referring to the quality and skills of legislative and presidential candidates, and of their consultants.

"But don't oversell the product, because it could work against candidates themselves."

He added many candidates had failed to formulate "innovative" slogans in their campaign messages.

"Most slogans just say they support public interests and want to improve public welfare. That's no longer an effective message."

Popular

Govt, House commission agree on key macroeconomic assumptions

Indonesia, US to sign MoU on $1.25b wheat purchases

Trump sends Prabowo letter to ram through trade talks