Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri's backing for the re-election of Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has undermined her anti-graft drive, said analysts critical of her support for a politician widely seen as corrupt and ineffective.
As small demonstrations against the unpopular Governor – who was voted to a second five-year term in office on Wednesday – continued yesterday, Vice-President Hamzah Haz called on the people to accept the election results.
Mr Hamzah, whose United Development Party had backed Mr Sutiyoso's candidacy, said: "That's the result of a democratic process that we ought to respect, though the election process was marred by protests." But analysts said Ms Megawati – who had also ordered her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle members in Parliament to vote for Mr Sutiyoso – could not escape damage to her credibility as a politician trying to stamp out corruption.
"For sure, most people will think Mega is not strong about cleaning up the government after this," said political analyst Tomi Legowo.
Another analyst, Mr Syamsuddin Harif, said: "I think most people will believe the support for Sutiyoso is connected with Taufiq Kiemas' businesses or else connected with other business interests in Jakarta." Mr Taufiq Kiemas, Ms Megawati's husband, is said to be close to Mr Sutiyoso.
The Jakarta Governor, like other regional and district leaders, is not elected by direct vote but by local parliamentarians.
Even if many doubt that financial motives are behind Ms Megawati's support for Mr Sutiyoso, they still question her political judgment in backing a politician who has been linked to a number of corruption scandals and allegedly misused millions of dollars worth of funds for February's flood victims.
The Jakarta Post said in an editorial that by ignoring public opinion, "Megawati and her party have made a complete mockery of her own government's stated campaign to eradicate KKN, the Indonesian acronym for corruption, collusion and nepotism. At least next time they talk about fighting KKN, we will know that it is simply empty rhetoric."
However, in the eyes of the public, Ms Megawati still has far more moral integrity than other politicians such as Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung or former president Abdurrahman Wahid, said academic Marcus Meitzner.
Observers also said the re-election of Mr Sutiyoso, given his poor record, was proof that "money politics" or the buying of votes was rife. "The majority of people believe money politics was involved in the election," said Mr Syamsuddin.
Other analysts said even if the charges of vote-buying were without basis, they were still alarming. "The fact that they can elect someone with such a disastrous reputation shows how local elections are detached from the democratic process in the national election," said Mr Marcus, pointing out that the party's interests seemed to be more important in local elections than public opinion.
Meanwhile, student groups who took part in anti-Sutiyoso demonstrations have threatened to launch a class action suit against the security forces for their rough handling of the demonstrators.
At least three demonstrators were in hospital recovering from injuries while others were being treated for food poisoning after consuming free snacks handed out during the demonstration. Police are investigating whether the food was poisoned or merely stale.