Ethnic-Chinese Christian governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as Ahok, gestures to his supporters at his final campaign rally on Feb. 11 prior to the gubernatorial election in Jakarta. (Photo by Goh Chai Hin/AFP)
The leaders of several Catholic groups have made a last-ditched appeal to Indonesians not to succumb to the temptation of vote buying when they cast their ballots during Feb. 15 local elections.
Indonesians are going to the polls to elect seven governors, 76 district heads and eighteen municipal leaders.
The General Elections Commission banned all campaigning on Feb. 11-14 to allow voters to collect their thoughts ahead of the poll. But many are worried that shady tactics will go ahead regardless.
"They must reject money politics and [not be afraid of] intimidation," Joannes Joko, secretary-general of the Association of Catholic Graduates and Intellectuals in Indonesia told reporters on Feb 12 at the Indonesian bishops' office in Jakarta.
"Do not be afraid and be apathetic! Go to polling stations and exercise your right to vote," he said.
He also encouraged voters to report bribery and bullying to the authorities.
Frans Sihol Siagian, from the Indonesian Catholic Society Forum, said it is hard to reveal vote-buying practices because it is done in secrecy.
"But it can be prevented by actively monitoring the election process," he said.
He also urged the General Elections Commission, the Election Supervisory Agency and the Election Supervisory Committee to guarantee transparency.
Earlier this month, Daniel Zuchron, the Election Supervisory Agency's monitoring division coordinator, said that many residents living in underdeveloped regions were willing to receive payment in exchange for their votes.
"We have instructed field officers to keep a watchful eye on this issue because vote buying may no longer occur just before polls open," he told The Jakarta Post, referring to the practice of bribing voters in the early morning or a few hours before voting kicks off.
Tight Jakarta race
In Jakarta the gubernatorial poll — which is now seen as a stepping stone for the Indonesian presidency following the election of former governor Joko Widodo — will likely be decided by a run-off vote, according to surveys released on the eve of the election.
According to the Indonesian Survey Circle the three candidates were within a few percentage points of each other at around 33 percent, falling way short of achieving more than 50 percent of the vote to win the election outright.
The candidates are Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the incumbent Christian governor, known as Ahok, who is now on trial for blasphemy, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, a son of former president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono; and Anies Baswedan, the former national education and culture minister.
This election is being seen as a litmus test for religious tolerance in Indonesia as a result of the blasphemy accusations against the Christian governor.
Observers have said religious hardliners like the Islamic Defenders Front have hijacked the election to promote their own agenda, citing the blasphemy accusations against Ahok, which resulted in mass demonstrations against him late last year.
On Feb. 11 more than 100,000 Indonesians descended on Jakarta's grand mosque to call on people to vote for Muslim candidates running against Ahok.
Joko, the Association of Catholic Graduates and Intellectuals in Indonesia secretary-general, said a second round of voting would only exacerbate religious tensions.
"If there is the second round, it will fuel tensions. Radical groups, which are against Ahok, will get more space to continue playing their game," he said.