STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT. Candidates and their supporters have been trading increasingly sharp barbs and allegations as they seek an edge in the Feb. 14 vote. Prabowo, at a gathering of supporters in Riau province on Tuesday, fired back at a claim Anies made during the debate regarding his alleged ownership of 340,000 hectares of land.
Meanwhile, a group called Pendekar Hukum Pemilu Bersih (Fighters for a Clean Election) recently filed a report with the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) accusing Anies of launching “personal attacks” against Prabowo.
The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) revealed suspicious transactions carried out by legislative candidates registered in the Permanent Candidate List (DCT) for the 2024 election. In 2022–2023, the total suspicious transactions of 100 legislative candidates in the DCT reached IDR51.47 trillion.
PPATK discovered transactions from abroad flowing into the accounts of treasurers of 21 political parties ahead of the 2024 elections, including party treasurers in various regions. PPATK Chair Ivan Yustiavandana said that foreign transactions had increased from a total of 8,270 transactions in 2022 to 9,164 transactions in 2023.
The National Awakening Party (PAN) and Golkar have pushed back against a request to impeach President Jokowi, who has been making clear his support for presidential candidate and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto. Golkar chief Airlangga Hartarto said there was no talk of impeaching Jokowi among.
In a speech at the 51st anniversary of PDI-P, PDI-P Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri criticized the legal situation, which appeared to be being manipulated so that power could be wielded without hindrance. Megawati emphasized that elections are not a tool for the political elite to perpetuate power because morals and ethics must be upheld. Megawati reminded anyone running for president of the country that power does not last forever and that they must work to ensure peaceful elections.
PDI-P Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto confirmed that the status of President Jokowi’s family membership in the party had ended. Hasto said that although there has been no official letter of dismissal of President Jokowi or his eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and President Jokowi’s son-in-law, Bobby Nasution, the three are no longer part of the party.
Anies Baswedan vowed to eradicate bad governance and illegal levies in the national economy, which he said were prone to occur under the current system. He committed to fairly managing the state civil apparatus based on qualifications, competence, and performance.
Indonesia’s presidential election is heating up – so much that poll leader Prabowo Subianto nearly lost his cool. A televised debate between the candidates on defence and international affairs this month turned contentious. But Prabowo’s quick temper may not cost him victory.
The 7 January debate between the three presidential hopefuls saw fellow contender Anies Baswedan focused on Prabowo’s weak spot, his temperament. By provoking a reaction, Anies apparently wanted to show Prabowo, who currently serves as the defence minister and has twice previously run for the top job, lacked the temperament for composed, level-headed leadership.
The public is eagerly waiting to hear the three vice presidential candidates’ promises to stop coal-fired power plants during the upcoming presidential debate on Sunday. This is a crucial step in shifting to more environmentally friendly energy sources from fossil fuels.
The three vice-presidential candidates — Muhaimin Iskandar, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and Mohammad Mahfud MD — will engage in discussions covering a wide range of topics, including environmental issues, agriculture, energy, and food security.
A number of digital billboard advertisements featuring presidential candidate Anies Baswedan that were paid for by a group of volunteers have been mysteriously taken down ahead of schedule, stoking concerns of foul play from netizens, while Anies’ camp has threatened to take legal action.
The Olppaemi Project, an Anies fan group on X, kick-started a fundraiser campaign on Jan. 5 for the former Jakarta governor to be featured in digital ads, in a nod to a tradition among K-Pop fans to pay for digital billboard ads for their favorite idol on their birthday.
