Jakarta – All three Jakarta gubernatorial candidate pairs have managed to effectively convey details of their programs and policies during the first public debate, but the two contenders have yet to come up with breakthroughs to challenge the incumbent pair, an analyst said.
Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni and Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno largely used rhetoric during Friday's televised debate to draw public support, Maksimus Ramses Lalongkoe, a political communication observer, said on Saturday (14/01).
"Instead of concrete proposals, they played on the public psychology with an emotional, empathetic approach," said Ramses, who works for the Indonesian Institute of Political Analysis.
Agus-Sylviana and Anies-Sandiaga should have been able to challenge the already established work programs of incumbent pair Basuki Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Saiful Hidayat by putting forward much-awaited breakthrough programs, he said.
"But the public found nothing extraordinary or monumental in the proposals put forward Agus-Sylviana and Anies-Sandiaga to challenge the comprehensive programs by Ahok-Djarot," he added.
There will be two more official debates, scheduled for Jan. 27 and Feb. 10, before the Jakarta gubernatorial election on Feb. 15.