Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – A strategy to accuse the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and their Jakarta governor candidate Adang Daradjatun with Islamic fundamentalism may backfire and could see candidate Fauzi Bowo lose votes, observers said.
Fauzi's coalition of political parties, which has made pluralism its campaign cry, has accused the PKS and Adang of wanting to rule Jakarta using Islamic teachings or sharia.
But political observers said the coalition's claim is baseless. They said some parties backing Fauzi, including Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP), have previously proposed sharia to rule other parts of the archipelago.
The observers said Fauzi Bowo therefore posed more of a threat to pluralism because both Golkar and PPP are very much part of the 19-party coalition behind Fauzi's campaign.
"These parties keep thinking that they can fool people... (but we will all) eventually know who's telling lies," said political observer Christianto Wibisono from Democracy Watch during an election discussion Friday.
Christianto said, "These disrespectful acts from political parties will also discourage residents from voting".
Jakarta's first direct governor election this year features two candidates – one supported by 19 parties and the other supported by just one. The PKS supports retired police general Adang Daradjatun and the 19-party coalition backs Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo.
Fauzi handpicked retired Army general Prijanto as his running mate. PKS put forward city councilor Dani Anwar as Adang's running mate.
About 75 percent of the 7.6 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots on August 8.
Former governor hopeful and legislator Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said the coalition supporting Fauzi had been pushed together in an effort to secure control over Jakarta. Sarwono said control of the capital was important because the city would be a pivotal political stakehold for the 2009 presidential election.
Sarwono said he believed the central government was in support of Fauzi's campaign because President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had neglected to delay the election to allow time for a ruling on independent candidates. Sarwono said this was a sign the President wanted Fauzi's coalition to win.
The President did not approve in time a judicial review of the Regional Autonomy Law that could have seen an opening for anyone to run for any regional office without endorsements from political parties.
"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono might have issued a regulation in lieu of this law to enable independent candidates to run in the election, but he just never intended to," Sarwono said.
The President has in the past issued said regulation to delay local elections in the case of a natural disaster or an industrial relations dispute, regardless of the severity of the situation, Sarwono said.
Sarwono withdrew himself from the gubernatorial race due to insufficient support from political parties.
Political observer Saiful Mujani said the coalition's religious-based attack against the PKS was an inevitability.
"They are over-confident they can win without help," Saiful said. "They want to rule the city alone and this is just impossible because there are various parties and community groups in the city," he told The Jakarta Post.