Indonesia: Jakarta Governor Race Heats Up · Global Voices
Agung Harsya

A survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle showed that incumbent Fauzi “Foke” Bowo is leading in the Jakarta governor election. Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia. Paired with Nachrowi Romli, Foke (as popularly called) has 49.1 percent chance of winning in the election. The popular candidates, Joko Widodo and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, meanwhile, are in the second position with 14.4 percent.
The survey is actually opposite with what many Jakartans feel. Some people think Foke can't manage Jakarta's main problems, such as traffic and the drainage.
@PokijanAcil: Kl sy bisa jalan 1km naik mobil, 1,5 jam. Thanks to macet jakarta. RT @tempodotco: Foke: Sy Bs Lari 10 Km Krg dr 1jam http://bit.ly/HujO4W
@adicumi_ratis: Mari bersama-sama kita dukung “FOKE MENJADI MANTAN GUBERNUR DKI JAKARTA”
A harsh judgment came from @TrioMacan2000 who tweeted about the deterioration of Jakarta as capital of Indonesia:
Jakarta Governor Fauzi “Foke” Bowo. Photo from Flickr page of East-West Center
jakarta adalah kota besar satu2nya di dunia yg gubernurnya menghilangkan lapangan sepakbola dan gantikannya dengan hotel
Jakarta adalah satu2 kota besar didunia yg minim transportasi massal. Hanya busway yg jadwalnya tak teratur, sumpek dan tak manusiawi
Jakarta adalah satu2nya kota besar di dunia yg punya hutan kota kuramg dari 10% luas kotanya. Standar intenasional 40%
Jakarta juga adaalah kota besar di dunia yg ada Mal di pusat kota yg berjarak hanya 2 meter dari jalan utama ( mal semanggi)
Jakarta adalah satu2nya kota besar didunia yg tidak sediakan trotoar yg manusiawi utk warganya, taman/hutan kota pun minim, parkir apalagi [continued] Sarana gedung2 itu seperti : parkir, tempat ibadah, taman dst…sgt minim bahkan sering tidak ada. Dizinkan semua karena suap ke pemprov DKI
Seand Munir, as written in Kompasiana, Indonesia's big blogging community, doesn't understand why Foke is confidently running for another term:
Tak ada sedikit pun prestasi Foke selama memimpin Jakarta. Tak ada rintisan perbaikan dan pembangunan apalagi pengatasan masalah-masalah rutin di Jakarta.
Apakah ini semata-mata benar dugaan orang orang bahwa pencalonan itu berkaitan dengan duit setoran balon ke partai?
There's none of Foke's achievement during his period. There is no improvement and development, not to mention Jakarta's regular problems.Or is it true with what people are thinking that election candidacies are based on the candidates’ contributions to the party?
Another blogger, Sipiliang, was even harsher:
…Namun Foke tidak memanfaatkan kesempatan itu. Jakarta tambah semrawut. Bahkan untuk meneruskan pembangunan saja tidak. Gubernur berkumis ini malah membuka proyek-proyek baru yang penuh dengan uang setoran. Foke tidak berfokus pada pembangunan manusia Jakarta, yang tentu bukan masyarakat asli saja….
…Lupakan Fauzi Bowo, sekarang kita punya alternatif pilihan yang lebih baik.
… But Foke doesn't have the chance. Jakarta has become more chaotic. Foke can't even continue the city's development. Instead, the stashed figure developing new projects full with “tribute” money. Foke doesn't have any focus to improve Jakarta people, which is not only native Jakartans.””…Forget Fauzi Bowo, we now have better candidates.
There are six pairs of candidates for the Jakarta governor election. The other candidates are Alex Noerdin-Nono Sampono, Hidayat Nur Wahid-Didik Rachbini; including two independent candidates, Hendardji Soepandi-Ariza Patria and Faisal Basri-Biem Benyamin.