Tag: Indonesian elections

If Unspun could vote, he’d certainly be casting his ballot for SBY and Boediono in the upcoming presidential elections.

SBY’s weaknesses in the past were based on perceptions that he is slow to decide if he comes to a decision at all; that he is weak when it comes to making tough decisions; and that he lacks charisma; that he is more of a bureaucrat rather than a politician.

In the past few days, at least to Unspun, he’s managed to change these perceptions somewhat with the appointment of Biediono as his running mate in the presidential elections. Someone who is weak would not have stayed the course in keeping to the choice of Boediono as Vice President candidate when the Muslim Wallahs in his political coalition mounted a protest. SBY was steadfast and the Muslim wallahs backed down (and how do they expect people to respect them after their vocal objections against Boediono being unfit to be vice president because — of all things – Boediono was not enough of  a good Muslim for them “even though he prays every Friday at the mosque?” (There is very defective and sick reasoning going on here).

More important is that by choosing Boediono, SBY has shown great political astuteness and original thinking that will bode well for Indonesia if he wins a second term. In choosing Boediono SBY departed from conventional thought that you needed the leader of a coalition partner to win the election. It is obvious, yet it escapes the realization of most of the Indonesian politicians, that he alone is enough to win the presidential elections. The other parties have no credibility left.

Golkar is finished when Jusuf Kalla foolishly accepted Surya Paloh’s poison pill to put his name up for the presidential elections. Since then the cracks that were already existing in Golkar have widened even more and unless the party conducts major surgery  they are a spent political force in indonesia. How Wiranto would help them get more votes is amystery.

PDIP is also running on empty. Megawati and her husband Taufik cling on to a power base that supports them through bovine force of habit or tradition. Prabowo looked good for a moment before the legislative elections because of the perceived deep pockets Gerindra had. His other strength was that he was perceived as a “strongman,” capable of making tough but necessary decisions. Now that he’s agreed to be under the Fat Lady, that macho image must be under quite a lot of pressure.

SBY’s choice of Biediono, however, sends all the right signals. Most of us know that he and Kalla did not get along during the first term and that Kalla and his merry men, including Aburizal Bakrie, were running rings round the president to frustrate and undermine him for their own interests.In choosing Boediono SBY is sending a message to Indonesians that he is capable of making tough decisions and then sticking to them; he’s also saying that with Kalla and Co out of the way there is a huge possibility that his second terms administration will be more decisive and effective. He is also sending out a message that the anti-corruption moves will prevail.

All good messages but the most interesting one of all is the message that he is sending to the political elites who have been lording over the rest of us: your time is up. Change or face obscurity. Already I don’t need your support to in the Presidency. Your parties are useless – they will not win the votes.

This is certainly great news for Indonesia. It will force the parties to examine their selves, hopefully foment a rebellion or two within the established parties and result in political parties that realize that the only way to win support is by working for the interests of the people. So get your ass out on voting day and cast your ballot for SBY Berbudi.