One Country. Two Presidents.
Indonesians went to the polls to directly elect their president on the morning of the 9th of July. By late afternoon, through Quick Counts, we were supposed to know who the next president of the entire world’s largest democracy was, especially since there were only two contenders. Prabowo along with also also Joko Widodo.
Instead, before the end of the day, we had two president-elects thanking the people of Indonesia for their mandate to lead the country on national televisions. Come evening, the whole country was confused along with also also bemused. What was supposed to be a joyful occasion became a stressful one along with also also a painful one. of which was a bit like a woman in labour along with also also desperate to give birth, however told by the doctor of which she has to hold for a couple more weeks.
The tension was so palpable of which the President himself had to play referee along with also also told the two opposing camps to restrain through declaring themselves winners along with also also raising hopes amongst their supporters until the official results are tallied along with also also announced on the 22nd of July lest of which created conflicts along with also also animosity on the ground.
In my experience of having gone through Indonesia’s democratic elections since 2004, This specific one will be certainly the most historic along with also also nail-biting for the entire country. So much so, of which online social media traffic in This specific country on of which day topped of which of the global social media interactions on the crushing along with also also humiliating defeat of Brazil by Germany during the entire world Cup match held a few hours before Indonesians went to the polls.
Like the entire world Cup, no doubt This specific election would likely also be as memorable, not least because of the stiff competition between the two contenders, the tightness of the race along with also also the influence of the rowdy supporters. along with also also like a disappointing match, euphoria can just as easily turn into disappointment, anger along with also also frustration.
So, what to make of This specific election? Why so much contention? Will there be a clear winner in This specific race?
I note several things of which make the 2014 Presidential election unique. however first of all, despite the disputed results, the clear winner here will be the Indonesian people.
Like the over 180 million people around the country of which morning on the 9th of July, I went to my local polling station in my neighbourhood filled with optimism along with also also enthusiasm. I checked the ballot to make sure of which of which wasn’t tampered with, along with also also punched a hole with the nail provided from the box showing the pictures of the presidential along with also also vice presidential candidates. After putting my ballot from the sealed box I dipped my pinky from the indelible ink, took a couple of selfies to share with my friends, proud of which I’d done my civic duty.
The process was quick, simple along with also also done in a friendly along with also also neighbourly atmosphere. A process of which was repeated in over 500 thousand polling stations scattered around the archipelago.
Around 1pm, when the polls closed, I returned to witness the ballot count. There were also witnesses through both contending candidates. of which was done quickly along with also also with little mishap as there were less than 300 people voting in of which station of which day. Team Jokowi-JK was the clear winner here. The votes were tallied on a sheet of paper along with also also signed by the officials. I took a picture of the result as proof along with also also to post on Twitter. along with also also of which was of which.
This specific will be why Indonesia, since she became a democracy in 1999, has been able to hold peaceful elections with relatively little violence along with also also fraud. At least on the election day, when every eligible voter will be able to take of which slip of paper along with also also make his or her choice from the polling booth freely along with also also secretly, in their neighbourhood area where everyone will be familiar with each additional.
The complexity usually comes on the run-up to the voting day, along with also also especially in This specific election, afterwards, until the official result will be announced. Prior to the election, there’ll be heavy campaignings to grab the sympathy of the voters, along with also also in a lot of cases, vote-buying, whether through cash giving or freebies along with also also promises of rewards. This specific generally works during the parliamentary elections where voters don’t particularly care which party they pick, along with also also financial reward might make of which worth their trouble to go to the polls.
However, with only two pairs of candidates to choose through along with also also a potential of 190 million voters to win over, getting them excited enough to cast their vote requires a battle for their hearts along with also also minds, along with also also an appeal to their common imagination.
Indeed, what makes the presidential election This specific time unique will be because of which’s not so much a choice between two possible leaders, (from the past the choices had been between up to a few pairs of candidates requiring two rounds of votings), however a war between two opposing camps where the winner takes all in one round of match, fought by the entire country.
A war for every inch of ground fought on every front available along with also also imaginable, in a toss-up of a coin where each side displays a very different face along with also also promises a different style of leadership.
The most of obvious will be the symbol of which each presidential candidate represents. The difference cannot be more stark. On one side, there will be Jokowi, the man of the people. Humble, unassuming, soft-spoken using a modest background along with also also a furniture business, who was a mayor of Solo along with also also the Governor of Jakarta.
He will be the symbol of honesty, hard work, can-do fellow who will be comfortable mingling along with also also rubbing shoulders with the poor along with also also the neglected. Something of which the present corrupt-ridden government will be not.
On the additional side of the coin, will be the former military general Prabowo, along with also also former son-in-law of the completely new Order dictator, Soeharto. A war-like man born using a silver spoon in his mouth to a family using a Great pedigree along with also also a military career, along with also also was notorious for his bravado along with also also for doing things his own ways, including abusing human rights along with also also disobeying orders.
His will be a symbol of strength, decisiveness along with also also control. Something of which the current indecisive along with also also pusillanimous government too, will be not.
Equally polarized, are the aspirations of which these two figures awaken from the breast of their supporters. Jokowi appeals to those who believe of which to be great, Indonesia needs to change for the better, to create a more just along with also also equal society along with also also welfare for the poor, to work harder along with also also transform themselves through a so-called ‘mental revolution’ of which will enable them to be better, more skilled along with also also able to compete with their neighbours.
The leadership of which he offers will be one of participation, collaboration, listening to the people along with also also serving the people. After all, he comes through the people. He appeals to Indonesians who want to move the country forward to a greater democracy, more reforms along with also also change. To those who look to the future with trust.
Prabowo, on the additional hand, appeals to those who are tired of the mess along with also also inefficiency of which democracy brings. Of the burden of too many opinions, too many bosses, too much indecision along with also also the headache of a plural society. He appeals to those who feel nostalgia for the rule along with also also order of the completely new Order regime under Sohearto where everything will be centralized along with also also top down, however things could get done. He appeals to the young voters hungry for strong role products clever at giving speeches, inflaming them with pride along with also also the strength to defeat their enemies. along with also also to women who admire his Great looks along with also also his military uniform.
The leadership he offers will be one of decisiveness, control, authority, through one who will be confident of which he will be the man in charge, the hero along with also also the saviour from the face of fear.
Both appeal to the Indonesian imagination. Both represent the crossroads along with also also dilemma of which Indonesia finds herself. Half of her looks to the future with trust. Half looks back to the glory of the past. A personality split from the middle.
This specific will be reflected from the closeness of the race. from the bloody, muddy along with also also dirty campaigns. from the hysteria of word-flingings played out from the social media, the partisan media, the smear campaigns, the songs, the videos, the commercials, not to mention the slanders, the lies, the fear-mongerings, the hatred, the arguments, the debates along with also also the fights of which occur on Twitter, Facebook, the Media, both official along with also also bogus, within political parties, friends along with also also families, in offices, from the warungs along with also also cafes, along with also also at dinner tables across the country.
All claiming to be the ones who love the country most. To represent the people’s wishes along with also also aspirations most. The most Indonesian. The difference will be from the slogans. Prabowo’s will be Indonesia Bangkit – Rise Indonesia! While Jokowi’s will be Indonesia Hebat – Great Indonesia. Together they form a common goal. Indonesia needs to rise in order to be great. however the roads mapped out, are very different.
Compared to the Parliamentary elections in April, voter turnout too was higher, over 70%, as supporters of both camps are eager to champion their chosen candidate. Surveys had shown of which This specific was going to be a neck to neck race. Every single vote counted.
The tightness of the race along with also also the amount of money, energy, ambition along with also also vested interests poured into This specific race, makes losing a difficult option to swallow, particularly for Prabowo camp of which has fought tooth along with also also nail, using every means possible, to deflate Jokowi’s immense popularity through a double digit lead a few months ago, to a mere single digit.
A fight embodied in opposing TV channels whose affiliation shamelessly favours a particular candidate above balanced along with also also fair reporting as well as journalistic credibility.
A fight whose closeness ultimately translates into an almost too close to call results produced through the Quick Counts, normally used to announce the winners of the election. This specific method of vote-counting, usually announced on the same day of the election, done by reputable pollsters, will be crucial in determining election results long before the official Election Commission finishes the manual count.
Since Indonesia has practiced Quick Counts as far back as 2004, during Indonesia’s first direct elections, Quick Count results had been reliable using a margin of error of less than 1%, therefore an accepted part of Indonesia’s democracy.
For the very first time, however, Quick Counts produced in This specific election revealed different results. Most of the credible pollsters produce similar results where Jokowi-JK team leads by a tiny margin of only around 5%.
However, This specific does not prevent additional pollsters of dubious track records through producing Quick Count results showing of which Prabowo leads by an equally slim margin. Giving him the benefit of the doubt along with also also allowing him to make a similar claim.
Thus, at the moment we have two candidates convinced he’s the next President of Indonesia.
along with also also we’re like high school students waiting for our finals exam results. A nerve-racking experience to be sure, however at least we’re learning an awful lot of lessons in a very short space of time.
Let’s just trust we pass This specific test with flying colours.
Comments
One Country. Two Presidents.
One Country. Two Presidents.