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Agus woos residents with 'hug, shake hands' approach
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Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono takes a group selfie with residents during his campaign visit to Pasar Manggis in South Jakarta on Saturday. (The Jakarta Post/Moses Ompusunggu)
O
n a rainy Saturday morning in Pasar Manggis in South Jakarta, Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono was greeted by the smoke and sulfurous smell of firecrackers and residents who lined up along the sidewalks to shout his name with gusto.
Just hours after the second official debate, Agus engaged in more of his "field guerilla" campaigning.
With recent polls showing a decline in Agus’ popularity, partly due to his performance in the first official debate, the eldest son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has continued to engage with residents through "eye-to-eye contact" and the "power of a hug and a handshake."
"Support will grow even though I don't talk too much. Shaking their hands and hugging them is the most effective way to make them aware that I am paying attention to their problems," Agus told reporters.
Without an umbrella, Agus walked through the labyrinth-like narrow alleyways with residents, mostly female.
"Oh, how handsome he is!" one woman shouted after taking a selfie. "He has charisma and therefore I will probably vote for him," said Siti Nuriyani, 49.
On many occasions, Agus only smiled when people shouted "Hail, Agus!"
(Read also: Jakarta's Persija soccer fans show support for Agus-Sylviana)
More citizens left their houses to greet him and ask for photographs when the rain stopped.
Agus also paid a visit to a wedding held at the residence of Abdullah, a local figure in Pasar Manggis.
"I appreciate his visit. The most important thing is that he is a Muslim. Let Muslim voters decide now that there are two Muslim candidates," Abdullah told The Jakarta Post. (bbs)
