The 2019 Race: The Volunteer Groups
The national campaign team of Jokowi-Ma’ruf Amin revealed that 570 groups of volunteers support the incumbent pair. This is a massive number for sure, and considering the role of such groups in helping Jokowi win the 2014 election, they’re worth highlighting in the 2019 race.
Sarumpaet’s Lies Scandal: The First Dirt
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police will question the founder of PAN Amien Rais, who is one of Prabowo Subianto’s biggest supporters, tomorrow (Oct. 10) in relation to Ratna Sarumpaet’s hoax scandal. Amien is the first person to be grilled among the 17 figures that have been reported to the Police.
On Jokowi’s Electability
Eight months ago, we compared President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s electability ahead of the 2019 election with the electability of his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) ahead of the 2009 race. We did so to get a better understanding on Jokowi’s position in the race and thus his chance at winning. The Saiful Mujani Research & Consulting (SMRC) has done the same analysis recently.
Central Sulawesi Quake & Security Issues
The Police has so far arrested 91 people alleged of looting in Palu after a tsunami and a devastating 7.7 magnitude quake hit the city and its surrounding cities/regencies in the province of Central Sulawesi. The Police, moreover, are still conducting an investigation into the allegation that the looting happened, perhaps, by design.
Sarumpaet’s Lies: The Idea for an Anti-Hoax Day
More, and more people have suggested the idea of naming of October 3rd—the day former activist Ratna Sarumpaet confessed to fabricating the story of her being assaulted—as anti-hoax day. Is this necessary?
Sarumpaet Scandal & The Repercussions
Public trust on Prabowo-Sandiaga campaign might have dropped significantly following the hoax scandal triggered by former actvisist Ratna Sarumpaet, which dragged politicians from political parties supporting the ticket (Gerindra, PKS, PAN, and Democratic Party). We understand that Sandiaga plans to focus on economic narratives for the campaign, but Ratna scandal will continue to haunt the team.
Sarumpaet’s Lies: A Problem for Prabowo-Sandi?
Apologies from Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno’s side for the farce related to Ratna Sarumpaet’s lies is not enough to stop the National Police from investigating the people involved in spreading hoax. The campaign team of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo-Ma’ruf Amin and its affiliated groups have also taken legal steps in relation to the hoax scandal. Will Ratna bring Prabowo-Sandi team down with her?
The 2019 Race: South Kalimantan
South Kalimantan was the only province in the Island of Borneo that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo lost to Prabowo Subianto in the 2014 presidential election, albeit by a razor-thin margin (around 2000 votes). At the time, Jokowi collected 939,748 votes (49.95%),...
Clowns of the 21st Century (4)
In a press conference held yesterday (Oct. 3), Ratna Sarumpaet told the press that she had fabricated a story of her being assaulted in Bandung on September 21. She said that she had actually undergone a plastic surgery procedure, as a result of which her face became swollen as shown in some of the pictures of her face that had gone viral in social media platforms. Unfortunately for Ratna, her colleagues in the opposition group had already spread her lies to the public and turned into a political circus. What’s going on with Ratna?
The 2019 Race: Banten
In the 2014 presidential race, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo lost Banten to Prabowo Subianto by a significant margin. Can Jokowi reduce the gap this time in the 2019 race? Can he win the province?