On the road to Indonesia’s 2014 Presidential Election

For many of the urban intelligentsia and activists there is a dream team scenario with former Finance Minister Dr Sri Mulyani as presidential candidate. The flaw in this scenario is that to lead Indonesia you have to be here, working now, not five weeks before the election. You also have to really want the job. That Dr Sri Mulyani remains fully occupied with the World Bank at this time suggests she is not a serious presidential candidate. Unless she soon relocates to focus on this presidential job, her supporters can keep dreaming.

On the concept of campaigning, it is time Indonesia’s arcane and silly legalistic definition of campaigning was discarded. In its place should be the simple acceptance of the reality that every time a politician opens or does not open their mouth, every position they endorse or reject, every visit they make or event sponsored represents a statement about who they are or what they want. The campaign for 2014 is now well underway. The people are watching and more importantly judging.

One of the most interesting aspects of the current frontrunners is that none is Javanese. Mr Bakrie hails from Lampung as does Dr Sri Mulyani. Mr Kalla is from South Sulawesi, while Lt Gen (ret) Prabowo is only part Javanese, as his mother hails from North Sulawesi.

The victory of any of the above might finally put an end to another Indonesian myth. This is the myth that only a Javanese can be President.