Via boat, plane, on horseback or on foot. Election in Indonesia on Wednesday is a huge administrative apparatus. The ballots shall be delivered to the 193 million voters who will elect a new president on the same day as national, regional and local elections are held. It is a logistical challenge in a country that consists of 18.000 islands of 1.9 million square kilometers.
this will be one of the most complex endagsvalen in the history of the world, as the australian think tank Lowy Institute, puts it.
Huvudkombattanter in the presidential election is the same as in 2014: the current president, Joko Widodo, popularly Jokowi, and former general Prabowo Subianto.
Joko Widodo, Indonesia’s president, is preparing a tv debate ahead of Wednesday’s election, together with his vice-presidential candidate, Ma’ruf Amin (right). Photo: Tatan Syuflana
is, of course, the economy, jobs and welfare are important issues. But then Prabowo courted the radical islamists and their support has religion taken over more and more of the agenda in Indonesia, where 88 percent of the population is muslim. It has become something of a fromhetstävling where Prabowo has attacked Jokowi for not being a real muslim.
Indonesia’s system of government is basically secular, state and religion are kept separate and in the country, there are many families with mixed religious affiliations. But Prabowo has managed to attract disgruntled voters when he campaigned for more nationalism and religion. The former general, who has been married to the infamous dictator indonesia was the daughter, paints Jokowi as weak and unpatriotic. He hopes that the rumors in social media that Jokowi is actually a christian and/or communist are going to attract votes.
focused on reducing poverty, developing infrastructure and welfare, have not been able to defend themselves. A first skrämselskott for the president came when the christian mayor Ahok in Jakarta three years ago charged and convicted for insulting the koran. Hundreds of thousands of muslims protested on the streets of Jakarta against the mayor. The massive demonstrations got Jokowi to change the focus.
– since Then it has Jokowis agenda for reform aside, ” says Olle Törnquist, professor in political science at the university of Oslo.
issues such as welfare and human rights after the event has been come back for the benefit of the religion and the politics of identity.
– Jokowi got big skälvan of what happened in 2016. He ignores nowadays, in the popular movement that brought him to power, and compromising instead with the military and the muslim groups.
But basically, perhaps it’s not so much about religion as about groups that are unhappy and have fallen behind in the wake of globalization.
” You could say that religion has become an important non-issue in the election. Powerful businessmen have wanted to do for religion and nationalism to an issue high on the agenda in order to take power. But the most important issues for people in general is health care, jobs and infrastructure.
have Jokowi an advantage. A key issue will be turnout. There are measurements that suggest that it will be low. The groups of voters who are disappointed that Jokowi abandoned reform agenda, and definitely do not support Prabowo might choose to stay home simply.
When Jokowi came to power in the 2014 painted the former möbelhandlaren up an image of himself as a ”people’s man” whose main mission was to fight poverty, reduce corruption, and increase the number of jobs. To a certain extent also have the promises fulfilled. Poverty has been reduced, a national health insurance system has been introduced and efforts have been made in education. Yet however much his former supporters accusing him of not having done enough to protect human rights. Religious minorities continue, for example, to be harassed.
2014 was viewed Jokowi as a healthy liberal fan who was behind a secular society. In this election campaign has he was pressured by Prabowo increasingly approached the military and religious forces. So, for example, is his vice presidential candidate, a high-ranking religious person who ultimately wants to see islamic sharia law in Indonesia and to ban homosexuality. So far, however, it will not go, believe Olle Törnquist.
– There is not a strong enough public opinion for a muslim state. Indonesia is still the most free democratic country in Southeast asia.
And there is another picture of Jokowi, a man who likes hard rock, that has a wife that is not wearing a veil and which is popular among the religious minorities.
presidential Candidate Prabowo Subianto, left, greets his running mate Sandiaga Uno. Photo: Tatan Syuflana
it is not obvious that Prabowo would be a man who advocates more religion in the society. He is a part of the political elite in Indonesia and the wealthy. Prabowo will, in addition, himself from a family where the belief system varies. His mother, brother and sister are christians. That he was still attracted islamists can be seen as a means to achieve power. At his election rallies have radical islamic groups turned up to show their support, and he has given promises to protect islamic leaders and increase funding to religious schools. In recent times, however, he has toned down the radical islamic message something.
– My brother has no intention whatsoever to create an islamic state, ” says Prabowos brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who works in his campaign to the South China Morningpost.
