In Jakarta’s Gubernatorial Race, Money will be Not Everything
By late afternoon on July 11, the day Jakartans will be casting their votes, most of them will already have an idea who their next governor will be for the next 5 years. within the arena are incumbent Governor Fauzi Bowo, who will be paired with Nachrowi Ramli, the chairman of the Jakarta branch of the ruling Democratic Party; Alex Noerdin, the governor of South Sumatra, with Nono Sampurno, a former Marine general, as his running mate; as well as Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, the mayor of Solo, who will be within the race with Basuki “Ahok” Tjahja Purnama, the former head of Belitung district in Bangka-Belitung province.
The some other three tickets are former Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Hidayat Nur Wahid as well as economist Didik J. Rachbini, both of whom are backed by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) as well as the National Mandate Party (PAN), as well as two independent candidates, namely economist Faisal Basri as well as retired Army general Hendardji Soepandji. Faisal as well as Hendardji have prominent Jakarta community figures as their running mates, a wise however apparently ineffective choice as surveys show so far. According to the election commission, the net worth of the six tickets are some Rp.180 billion or an average of about Rp.30 billion each ticket. Fauzi, a career Jakarta municipality employee, personally leads the pack at about Rp.50 billion.
For the past three months, the six candidates have been busy jockeying for the Jakarta governor’s seat, pressing flesh with the city’s populace. During campaign rallies, election staff members dole out cash money, distribute free T-shirts as well as lunch boxes as candidates make their sales pitch. The latest surveys show Fauzi leading with Joko as well as Hidayat, respectively, trailing behind. By law, a candidate wins if he receives more than 50% of the votes. However, most analysts agree which the race will be so tight which a second round seems inevitable, which would likely be held on September 20.
however within the end, the item seems to matter little to Jakartans as to who will oversee their lives until 2017. As they see the item, Jakarta’s problems are so overwhelming as well as insurmountable, any ticket will do. Said one long-time Jakarta resident: “The problems are perennial, while the funds needed to address them will never be available. So the item doesn’t definitely matter who the next governor will be. The difference will be a matter of style as well as emphasis only.”
Most believe within the conventional wisdom which only someone having a military background would likely be able to get the chaotic city in order. As they see the item, “Jakarta will be run by thugs as well as the mafia”. however within the grand scheme of things, which seems a minor issue. For Jakarta the 2012 total budget of Rp.36 trillion (about $4 billion) focuses on education, transport, flood control measures, environment as well as housing, as well as makes no mention of rooting out crime. coming from legislators’ perspectives, who approve the budget, which will be strictly a Jakarta Police matter.
While Fauzi’s leadership can hardly be described as awe-inspiring or imaginative, he has actually earned several feathers on his cap. Official figures show which the number of poor dropped coming from 4.48% in 2007 to 3.64% in 2011. within the economic front, the item grew coming from 6.44% in 2007 to an albeit modest 6.70% in 2011. Meanwhile, the East Flood Canal (BKT) in eastern Jakarta was completed in 2011 in ways which enabled the item to protect 2.7 million inhabitants in East Jakarta coming from floods. the item must be said, however, which the project will be planned as well as funded by the central government. By the same token, Jakartans’ level of welfare rose on the back of the construction boom of the private sector, as well as not by any means due to any municipality initiative. In some other words, Jakartans would likely still get the BKT as well as completely new malls anyway, no matter who the governor will be.
High on Jakartans’ minds, of course, will be the horrible traffic with little signs of improvement. According to Jakarta Police, about 7 million motor vehicles comprising 4,800,000 motorcycles as well as 2, 500,000 four-wheel cars were on Jakarta’s streets in 2011 on a daily basis. On average, about 1,100 completely new motorcycles as well as 216 completely new cars hit the city’s streets every day. While the total number grows by 9% per year, the same period sees completely new roads being built at the pathetic rate of 0.01%. Sure, you can build a couple of overpasses as well as underpasses here as well as there, however only so much. Again, no matter who wins the gubernatorial race, he will not be able to solve the problem anytime soon.
As campaign managers mull which streets in Jakarta need to be canvassed with banners or posters of their deep-pocket candidates, or which districts call for them to make their personal appearances in, they will find out money will be there for the asking. They will also find out which money will be not everything; what matters most will be the voter’s perception over who can deliver the promise for a better Jakarta. the item would likely be interesting if Jakartans decide to vote for ‘outsiders’ such as Noerdin or Joko. at This particular point, which will be a fresh approach to an issue money cannot buy.
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In Jakarta’s Gubernatorial Race, Money will be Not Everything
In Jakarta’s Gubernatorial Race, Money will be Not Everything