Bayu Marhaenjati & Febriamy Hutapea – Aside from a spending spree on campaign ads, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo is splashing the cash in an attempt to gain support for a second term.
The incumbent known as Foke recently gave Rp 3 billion ($318,000) to popular football club Persija Jakarta, even though Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) rules prohibit local administrations from giving money to clubs.
"So far we've received assistance from the regional government, but it wasn't much. They gave Rp 3 billion to the club. I don't know exactly the origin of the donation, but it looks like it came personally from the governor. It's a display of a spontaneous attention to us," Larico Ranggamone, chairman of Persija supporters' group Jakmania, told Beritasatu.com.
Larico said the club had not been part of any official campaign events, though he admitted each of the six gubernatorial candidates had appealed to the 35,000 Jakmania members for their votes.
The Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR), which has expressed support for Fauzi and running mate Nachrowi Ramli, said it never received any assistance from Fauzi.
"None. We never asked for money. They came from donations from [our] members. Many FBR members are rich," said Edwan Hamidi, the forum's director for training and human resources development (Latpesdam).
Edwan admitted that Latpesdam had once invited Fauzi to attend a meeting with its members to provide guidance. "As a governor, he gave guidance through the National Unity Agency. All mass organizations get it [the guidance]," he said.
Edwan said the FBR supported Fauzi and Nachrowi because they were the right indigenous figures to lead Jakarta. "We support Fauzi Bowo and Nachrowi Ramli. Both of them are Betawi figures who we believe are capable and competent to build Jakarta," he said.
Fauzi also attended a Hutapea clan annual gathering event in April and provided Rp 50 million, which he said was a scholarship for the younger generation,
His presence during the event, which was attended by around 1,000 people from the Batak community, was criticized because some people accused him of engaging in an early campaign start.
The allegation was made because there was a banner which said that the Hutapea clan in the Greater Jakarta area supported Fauzi's re-election as Jakarta governor for the 2012-2017 period.
Janus Hutapea, the chairman of the clan in Greater Jakarta, said the Hutapea community supported Fauzi because it deemed him successful in maintaining religious harmony in the capital and in building infrastructure that was now enjoyed by the residents.
"There's no reason for the Hutapea clan not to vote for Fauzi Bowo. We will try as hard as we can to get Fauzi Bowo re-elected," Janus said, adding that there were around 2,000 Hutapeas living in Jakarta.
Aside from the Hutapea clan, Fauzi has also approached other Batak clans such Manurung and Marpaung. Fauzi donated Rp 50 million to the Manurung clan and Rp 25 million to Marpaung clan during their annual gatherings. Fauzi also donated Rp 100 million to a Batak community church recently.