Jakarta – Hundreds of farmers, mostly from West Java and Banten, gathered recently at Ragunan Sport Center to support Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
A huge banner in front of the building read: "Welcome, members of the Indonesia Farmers' Council (DTI)". At the meeting, council chairman Ferry J. Juliantono announced that DTI officially supported Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"I think the agriculture programs of the current government are the best," Ferry told reporters after the gathering.
Yudhoyono's running mate, Boediono, was scheduled to attend the gathering to deliver his opening speech, but an announcement was made that he had to accompany his mate on a television talk show, instead.
Just as forum was concluding, a man looking bewildered, wearing a ragged shirt and caping (conical-shaped woven hat), was among guests leaving the hall.
The man, Sakerah, a 50-year-old rice farmer from Tangerang, had come to Jakarta with his wife and daughter. "They said we would get some money after this meeting. Where is the committee?" Sakerah grumbled in Sundanese (the traditional language spoken in Banten and West Java).
Sakerah was reluctant to answer when asked if he came only for the money. "They asked us to join hundreds of fellow farmers from other parts of the country, in Jakarta, for a meeting, but I didn't know what it would be about exactly," he said.
"They just sent a car to my hometown to bring me and dozens of others here," Sakerah told The Jakarta Post.
Apparently he knew little about the farmers' council. "I'd heard about DTI a couple of times before, but I don't know what it is about."
Apparently, not all of those in attendance were farmers. Susi, a vendor, said she was asked by her friend to attend because rumor had it that money would be given out at the meeting. "No payments yet. I don't know. Maybe later. I will come back here tomorrow," Susi said.
Both Sakerah and Susi acknowledged that politics was not a big deal for them. "I don't really know about the candidates. But if they give me money now, I could vote for SBY in the election," Susi said.
However, Jaja, a farmer from Bandung said that while he was a low-income earner, he didn't want to be forced to vote for a particular candidate. "They can't buy me. The election is about conscience, not money."
Ferry's council has been gearing up to side with Yudhoyono, and is suspected to be preparing to "battle" against Prabowo Subianto's Indonesian Farmers and Fishermen Association's (HKTI), to gain support from farmers.
The chairman was previously a government protester, but is now under city arrest pending the result of his appeal at the Jakarta High Court.
Ferry was arrested for his alleged role in violent demonstrations against the government decision to increase fuel prices, in March 2008. Following the arrest he was sentenced by the Central Jakarta District Court to one year in prison. (bbs)