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Early 2024 presidential scuffle feels like Christmas in July
Candidates simply want to impress people with their appearance, rather than offering their platforms to the public, because based on experience, serangan fajar (predawn attack or distribution of cash hours before the voting begins) often proves effective in winning votes.
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One citizen one vote: Voters show their inked fingers after casting their vote at a polling station during the presidential election in Trumon, Southern Aceh province on April 17, 2019. (AFP/Chaideer Mahyuddin)
I
ndonesian political parties, presidential aspirants, political financiers and elites seem very impatient to ensure the next president is the person they support, although the election is still 20 months away. The results of the early campaigning and fighting is mostly determined by public opinion survey findings.
To win the hearts and minds of the voters they heavily rely on social media platforms and the many billboards they display in strategic places across the country.
They are confident the outcome of the simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on Feb. 14, 2024 will follow their wishes.
On paper at least three pairs will contest the presidential election. Out of the nine political parties that meet the 4 percent legislative threshold, only the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has the privilege to nominate its presidential-vice presidential ticket without having to coalesce with other parties.
Leading presidential hopefuls have tried their best to look like a president or president-elect. They and most of the political parties also maintain close ties with the incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, otherwise their winning chances will evaporate.
The presidential aspirants look perfect, albeit superficially, on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. They simply want to impress people with their appearance, rather than offering their platforms to the public, because based on experience, serangan fajar (predawn attack or distribution of cash hours before voting begins) often proves effective at winning votes.
Most Indonesian voters are reluctant to engage in political discourse. They simply go to polling stations and cast ballots as an exercise of their constitutional right on election day.
