INDONESIA: POLITICS - First-time voters in Indonesia hope for a new leader who will improve transparency, ahead of the poll on July 9

Record ID: 328940

  • Title: INDONESIA: POLITICS - First-time voters in Indonesia hope for a new leader who will improve transparency, ahead of the poll on July 9
  • Date: 3rd July 2014
  • Summary: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PRABOWO SUBIANTO SPEAKING ON STAGE ROCK SINGER AHMAD DHANI STANDING ON THE STAGE SUPPORTERS SHOUTING: "PRABOWO" SUBIANTO AND DHANI STANDING ON PODIUM
  • Embargoed: 18th July 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA98CEXXFBM8BORH7P17PUSLWXE
  • Story Text: Spearheaded by a group of young supporters of presidential candidate Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, dancers filled a street in central Jakarta. The "Two Finger Salute" gesture refers to the serial number two on the ballot paper allocated to Widodo.
    His only rival Prabowo Subianto, who received the number one, is being backed by a local rock singer Ahmad Dhani. The singer has been sharply criticized for a song that paints former general Prabowo as a strong leader, with music adapted from Queen's "We Will Rock You" and performers in quasi-military uniforms.
    The songs and forays into social media provide little evidence that either candidate has had any success in attracting the youth vote.
    Nearly a third of Indonesia's 187 million voters are between 17 and 29, and will be crucial in deciding the close race to run the world's third-largest democracy and Southeast Asia's biggest economy for the next five years.
    Aulia Anggita, a 21-year-old student from the University of Indonesia will be voting for the first time and is clear on what she is looking for.

    "Like rock stars or just saying that we have to be nationalistic it doesn't gain our vote, it's saying that we are not smart enough to actually calculate the program (offered by the presidential candidates). It's saying that like our whole education doesn't matter. I think that it's time for them to realize that for us what we want is clear changes," she said.

    "Basically I want transparency, I want my voice to count, like afterwards, after the election. Like what would happen then? Can we ask for accountability? Can we ask for transparency?" she added.
    More than 10 percent of Indonesia's 187 million voters will be voting for the first time.
    Chusnul Mariyah, Director of University of Indonesia's Center of Election and Political Party said political parties are not engaging the younger population.

    "One day, in next generation, they are the one who will be the President of this country and the ministers of this country, the leaders of this country, so they are very important generation. But the political parties failed to do all this political education, you know, because they are just like a new in politics," she said.
    This election will only be Indonesia's third direct election since it tumbled into democracy 16 years ago amid social and economic chaos in the wake of the downfall of former dictator Suharto.
    Some voters are hopeful for change.

    "The first thing that I really want, we actually really want, is the reformation of the bureaucrats, because from the reformation of the bureaucrats the people will follow the leaders. So when the leaders are good the people will also, I hope, will be good," said another first time voter Davin Hadikosomo.
    The world's third-largest democracy is due to choose a new leader on July 9 in what recent polls show will be a tight race between Prabowo and Jakarta governor Widodo.
    The latest opinion poll showed that Widodo continues to lead the race followed by the ex-general, Subianto, who is narrowing the gap.
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