Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – How much does it cost to become governor? The two hopefuls in Jakarta's upcoming gubernatorial election, Fauzi Bowo and Adang Daradjatun, may know the answer, but they aren't talking.

However, their massive publicity pushes, with TV ads and posters and banners plastering the city, along with their consultants and campaign teams, speak for themselves.

A campaign strategist for Adang Daradjatun, advertising professional Ipang Wahid, estimated a totally unknown candidate would have to invest up to Rp 60 billion (US$6.5 million) for a one-year media blitz before the election to get his or her name known among the public.

This would include television and print advertisements, as well as holding gatherings and events to catch the media's attention. "The more unknown a candidate the more it takes to market himself in a direct election," he told The Jakarta Post recently.

Ipang said about 70 percent of the money should go toward TV ads, which would allow the candidate to run 30-second ads about 4,200 times in total.

Ipang said running frequent ads on television was more effective than taking out ads in the print media. He said that according to an AC Nielsen survey, 80 percent of people relied on television as their main source of information.

According to a survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute in the middle of last year, Adang had 5 percent public awareness and Fauzi Bowo, the current Jakarta deputy governor, had 20 percent.

Ipang said much of the funding for Adang's campaign was coming from the business community and prominent people with close ties to the candidate's family. However, he refused to provide names.

Adang's wife, Nunun Nurbaetie Daradjatun, is a noted businesswoman who owns a telecommunications infrastructure company and a crude palm oil company.

Fauzi's campaign has depended to a large degree on his current position in the administration, as well as the 13 political parties that have formed the Jakarta Coalition to support his bid.

He has gotten his name and face out in the public as the head of Jakarta anti-narcotics agency, and was tapped by the central government to appear in ads to commemorate National Awakening Day and National Education Day last month.

What remains uncertain is the "price" of securing the support of political parties in the election, although various campaigners and party activists have said it involves billions of rupiah.

A campaigner for a politician who dropped out of the election said it was expensive to secure the support of even the smaller parties as the election neared. "Their prices kept increasing by the day and other candidates simply could pay more."

Jakarta elections commission member Muflizar said the law only required an audit of campaign funds after candidates had been formally announced on July 2, although he acknowledged candidates might spend more before campaigning officially opens than they do during the campaign itself.

Separately, Jakarta Elections Supervisory Body member Kamsul Hasan said the watchdog was still preparing a regulation to limit the ability of incumbents to use state facilities for their campaigns.