REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Never before in Indonesia's history has the country been so clearly divided before the presidential election scheduled on July 9, 2014.
The media, labor unions, retired military and police generals, street vendors, artists, NGO activists, fishermen, migrant workers, and governors, to name a few, all are divided in supporting only two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Jusuf Kalla.
For the first time in Indonesia's presidential election many members of different professions as well as individuals are openly expressing their support to either of the two presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs.
Prabowo Subianto is a retired military general and the chairman of Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement) Party, while his running mate, Hatta Rajasa, is a former coordinating minister for economic affairs and the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).
Jokowi is Jakarta's Governor and a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), and his running mate, Jusuf Kalla (JK), is a former vice president and a senior politician of the Golkar Party.
The Jokowi-JK pair is supported by five political parties: the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP), the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the Peoples Conscience Party (Hanura), the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI), and the National Democrats Party (Nasdem) established by Surya Paloh, owner of Metro TV and the Media Indonesia newspaper.
The Prabowo-Hatta pair is supported by Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the Moon and Star Party (PBB), and the Golkar Party, whose current chairman is Aburizal Bakrie, owner of TV One.
The ruling Democrat Party has taken a neutral stance in the election, although some of its top cadres have chosen sides.
The media divide is so noticeable that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a comment about it when chairing a coordinating meeting on the implementation of the presidential and vice presidential election 2014 in Sentul in Bogor, West Java, on June 3, 2014.
"In the presidential election 2014, it seems - I may be wrong, but this is what I gauge - that our press and media are divided. Take a look at the obvious ones, Metro TV and TV One," President Yudhoyono said then adding that media played major role in making the presidential election a success.
The president reminded that the press or the media belongs to the public and should work for their interests. Therefore, the press must report accurately, constructively, and fairly as well as cover both parties contesting the election.
"It is easier said than done," he added.
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