Indonesian presidential candidates spar in first live debate, promise to enforce law and eradicate corruption

This is the first election in 15 years where three pairs are contesting for Indonesia’s top jobs. 

On Feb 14 next year, about 204.8 million eligible Indonesian voters are expected to head to the polls to choose Indonesia’s eighth president.

Current president Joko Widodo is barred from running since the constitution only allows a person to stay in power for maximum two terms. 

According to the Indonesian election law, a pair must secure more than 50 per cent of the votes to win the elections.

If nobody gets at more than 50 per cent, the election will go into a second round in June and the pair with the least number of votes cannot continue the contest.

Mr Prabowo and Solo mayor Mr Gibran, who is also Mr Widodo’s son, are the front-runners with an electability rating of more than 40 per cent, according to various polls.  

Meanwhile, Mr Ganjar and his running mate Mahfud MD, who’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, as well as Mr Anies and his partner Muhaimin Iskandar, who’s head of political party PKB, are in tight competition to make it into the second round.

The second debate will be on Dec 22, where vice-presidential candidates  will challenge each other over the economy.

This includes people’s and digital economy, finance, investment, taxes, trade, state or regional budget management, infrastructure, and urban areas.

The third debate will be on Jan 7, focusing on defence, security, geopolitics and international relations, which the presidential candidate must tackle. 

On Jan 21, the vice presidential candidates will debate about energy, carbon tax, environment, agrarian matters, indigenous people, food security and natural resources. 

The last debate on Feb 4 is for the presidential candidates to showcase their knowledge in information technology, improvement of public services, hoax, intolerance, education, health and employment.