Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Presidential hopeful Megawati Sukarnoputri and her running mate, Prabowo Subianto, delivered important political promises to their supporters at the launch of their candidacy in Bekasi, West Java, political analyst Effendy Ghazali said after Sunday's huge rally.

The former president and retired general promised to improve social welfare for their mainly poor supporters by managing the country's resources more effectively and fairly, he said.

But Effendy, who attended the campaign launch, also said that promises alone would not help the poor. He said that people who lived in Bantar Gebang in Bekasi usually voted for Megawati's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

"Megawati and Prabowo should promise more specifics, such as the provision of free insurance and health benefits for everyone," he said. "For the people, the important thing is action, not just words."

Renowned Indonesian poet WS Rendra, however, said that the candidates' promises to take full control of the country's economy deserved support. He said Megawati and Prabowo adequately represented the views of Indonesians who felt that the country still remained under excessive foreign influence and control.

"They have a good plan for how to build the economy based on the needs of the people, farmers, fishermen and laborers. They deserve support," Rendra said.

Meanwhile, members of the National Mandate Party (PAN) unexpectedly attended the Megawati-Prabowo campaign launch. PAN supports the Democratic Party's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his bid for re-election on July 8.

A spokesman for the PAN group walked onto the stage and told the audience that his party had made the wrong decision by supporting Yudhoyono. "The members of PAN are now ready to support Megawati and Prabowo," he said.

Yudhoyono and his running mate, former Bank Indonesia Governor Boediono, are expected to strengthen the government's commitment to fight corruption – concerns that Megawati and Prabowo did not mention in their speeches on Sunday.

But Pramono Anung, the PDI-P secretary general and an adviser to the Megawati-Prabowo campaign, said that opposition to corruption had been always part of Megawati's vision. One indication of this is that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was formed during Megawati's 2001-04 presidency, he said.

"Megawati has never politically opposed the anticorruption effort," he said. Megawati and Prabowo have their own ideas about how to stamp out corruption, particularly in the government, he said, "by applying a punishment and reward system and improving salaries and welfare."

Pramono said that Megawati had always respected the concepts of democracy and freedom of the press. "Neither she nor anyone in her administration has ever called any media organization just because they were broadcasting or publishing bad news," he said.

Her approach contrasted sharply with common practices during the New Order regime of former President Suharto, when the government exercised tight control of the media.