JAKARTA ELECTION LOOMS: DO VOTERS CARE?

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002085 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KISL PINR ID SUBJECT: JAKARTA ELECTION LOOMS: DO VOTERS CARE? REF: A. JAKARTA 1972 ¶B. JAKARTA 1157 ¶C. JAKARTA 11376 JAKARTA 00002085 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please handle accordingly. Summary ======= ¶2. (SBU) Political flags and banners have covered Jakarta in recent days as the capital prepares for its August 8 gubernatorial election. The activities of the two candidates--Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo, representing a broad coalition of parties, and former police official Adang Daradjatun of the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)--have dominated the news. There have been various charges of electoral law violations, but no violence reported. Adang remains the underdog in the race. Most Jakartans appear apathetic. Bio notes are contained in Para ¶9. End Summary. Election Looms ============== ¶3. (U) Political flags and banners are covering Jakarta as the capital prepares for its gubernatorial election on August ¶8. Local press coverage of the campaign has increased dramatically in recent days, with the national papers devoting multi-page spreads to each candidate. The two candidates have been holding rallies in various parts of the capital district with supporters. Campaigning is scheduled to formally conclude by August 5. Charges and Counter-Charges =========================== ¶4. (U) Allegations of campaign misconduct and alleged dirty tricks have lately been thrown around by the two campaigns. Jakarta police have recorded four criminal cases, two administrative cases, and over 1700 traffic citations related to the campaigns, while an independent election watchdog group claims there have been 22 significant violations, including cases where campaigners have handed out money to prospective voters. A flavor of the charges includes the Bowo camp's protest against the burning of banners in North Jakarta. Adang and PKS, in the meantime, have filed a lawsuit over an allegedly Bowo-linked tabloid that criticized PKS and used an adult-oriented photo as the accompanying illustration. ¶5. (U) The campaign continues to be peaceful. As of yet, no violence between the rival camps has been reported. Bowo Favored ============ 
 ¶6. (SBU) A late July poll of 600 registered voters showed more than half say they will select Bowo, with only 22 percent saying they preferred Adang. Over 20 percent of voters remained undecided. Nevertheless, Adang reported receiving $3.5 million in campaign donations in the month of July as compared to Bowo's $1.2 million. In addition, the youth wings of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP) and Democratic Party (PD) announced on 1 August they would break with their parent parties to back Adang, both possible signs that the race will be closer than polling indicates. ¶7. (SBU) An upcoming August 4 debate between the two candidates could afford Adang the opportunity to make up further ground. Contacts have told us that they think that Adang has run the stronger campaign and is the more charismatic of the two. That said, most observers do not see him getting more than 30-40 percent of the vote, though some say that even that sort of sum would give the Islamic-leaning PKS a symbolic victory. JAKARTA 00002085 002.2 OF 002 Apathy Reigns ============= ¶8. (SBU) A recent poll indicates that as many as 65 percent of the 5.7 million registered voters in Jakarta may not vote, a stunningly low figure in a country where over 90 percent of eligible voters participated in the 2004 presidential election. Many of our contacts have asserted to us that the campaign simply has not stirred Jakartans and they predict a very low turnout. Bio Notes ========= ¶9. (SBU) Mission has the following bio notes on the two candidates: -- Fauzi Bowo: Born 10 April 1948 in Jakarta...attended Catholic schools...briefly attended University of Indonesia for one year before finishing his education in Germany; he received a M.A. in Technology from Braunschweig University, Germany, in 1976 and his Ph.D in Engineering from the University of Kaiserlautern, Germany, in 1999...has worked for the city of Jakarta since 1978, serving as deputy governor from 2002-2007...is a leading member of the Jakarta branch of Nahdlatul Ulama (the largest mass Muslim organization in Indonesia) and heads the Jakarta chapter of Ikatan Pencak Silat, a martial art native to Indonesia...has one wife, Sri Hartati Bowo, and three daughters. -- Adang Daradjatun: Born 13 May 1949 in Bogor, West Java...grew up in Jakarta and Bandung...national police academy class of 1971...served in a variety of mainly local and city police positions in Jakarta from 1971-1989 before being sent to Maluku in 1990...returned to Jakarta for national police postings from 1992-2004 before being named deputy National Police Chief...retired in 2006...has one wife, Nunun Nurbaeti, and four children (three boys, one girl) ranging in age from 12 to 35 years old. HUME