The victory in the May 26 Central Java gubernatorial election will be determined by the most solid political machine of the various contenders, an observer has said.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, political observer Fitriyah of Diponegoro University said that gubernatorial elections were different from presidential, regent or mayoral elections.

'The candidate's figure is important but it is not enough. The political machine of each candidate's campaign team has to work,' she said. 'The challenge is whether the political machine of a coalition of parties is solid and can work.'

So far, she says, the political machine of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) that nominated Ganjar Pranowo and Heru Sudjatmoko was solid but incumbent Governor Bibit Waluyo was still the most popular.

'PDI-P is known for its loyal voters. It has patrons in regions up to the national level. The voters no longer see who is nominated by the party. As long as he is a PDI-P member, they will vote for him,' Fitriyah said.

Three tickets will contend to win on Sunday, competing for some 28 million votes.

Hadi Prabowo and Don Murdono were jointly nominated by the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), United Development Party (PPP), National Awakening Party (PKB), Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU) and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura).

The third ticket, Bibit and Sudijono Sastroatmodjo were jointly nominated by the Democratic Party, National Awakening Party (PAN) and the Golkar Party.

During the campaign period, which ended Wednesday, Fitriyah said PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri had been the most active party leader campaigning for the candidates. 'She is aware that Central Java is a PDI-P stronghold,' she said.

In the province, PDI-P had won the most votes in 27 out of Central Java's 35 regencies and municipalities while 17 regents and mayors were running on PDI-P's ticket.

Fitriyah said Bibit had the advantage of being more popular as the incumbent governor. 'The voters are familiar with him,' she says.

Hadi, a non-active provincial secretary, Fitriyah says, probably will try to win by using his influence among members of the Indonesian Civil Servants Corps (Korpri) while reminding civil servants to remain neutral.

She also said that currently, voters were smarter and capable of making their own choice based on their respective considerations. 'They can even decide not to come to the polling station at all.'

Budiyono, a resident of Banyumanik in Semarang, said that he would exercise his right to vote.

'It's actually easy to decide. We have a lot of information. I don't need to be influenced by others. I can choose by myself,' he said.

During the campaign, Hadi'Don promised to create clean governance and speed up bureaucracy reform.

Bibit'Sudijono flagged the slogan of Bali nDeso, Mbangun Deso (Return to the village, develop the village), the same slogan Bibit used five years ago when running for his first term with outgoing vice governor Rustriningsih using the PDI-P ticket.

Ganjar'Heru promised to help improve the welfare of tobacco farmers and workers, using the Mboten Korupsi, Mboten Ngapusi (Do not commit corruption, do not cheat) slogan.

Meanwhile, PDI-P loyalist Rustriningsih, who failed to get the party's support in the gubernatorial race, made a surprising move. She has been seen in public with Bibit during the last days of the campaign period.

On Sunday evening, for example, they both enjoyed a wayang kulit performance held at the Kebumen Square. Rustriningsih was also seen accompanying Bibit on Monday during an official visit of the Health Ministry's director general of nutrition and mother and child health in Logending Beach, also in Kebumen.

Neither of the events were part of the campaign, but their appearances together were the first prior to the election. Rustriningsih as well has never publicly declared her support for Bibit.

Asked for comments on her appearances with Bibit, Rustriningsih said, 'It's up to the people to perceive the significance. Some things need to be guarded. The tenure is about to end and leaders have to unite,' said the outgoing vice governor.

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