The 3rd debate: both the policy wonk and the platitudes-lover seem to overplay the nationalist card

I cannot wait to hear what Wati has to say about last night’s debate (the third—how time flies)  but in the meantime, the Jakarta Post, albeit pro-Jokowi, seems to feel that he did even better this time.

He seemed to man up in the foreign policy department, advocating diplomacy but stressing a tough-guy stance on external threats that rivaled Prabowo (and I do mean tough guy; his actual phrase was “I will seriously cause a rumble.”) 

He gave the nod Muslim supporters who’d been lukewarm concerning his ambivalent stance on religion by stating that he would support the establishment of a Palestinian state. And he displayed a degree of “foreign policy wonkiness” that played well with Jakarta elites as well as the younger crowd, while Prabowo stuck to the platitudes of nationalism and national prosperity.

 

And Jokowi (bless his little heart) told the audience that he would make resource conservation a priority.

Get me the smelling salts.

Yes, yes, we all know they say one thing and do another, but the actual words coming from lips is a BIG deal in this election, and hopefully puts the Aceh provincial government on notice that it may no longer be the big love-fest with the foreign extraction interests if he wins.

Which of course could make said interests pony up lots of anti-Jokowi campaign money in these last 2 weeks.  Hey. It’s what they’d do in the US.

Sigh.

Prabowo was a little more circumspect, saying that he promised to protect the country’s natural resources . . . from foreign control.  He’d allow their elimination . . . as long as it was Indonesia making the money.

Foreign affairs analyst Wiryono Sastrohandoyo said the two candidates attempted to be nationalistic in their views to woo voters, which could scare off foreign investors. “Bringing up this nationalistic sentiment will create fear among foreign investors,” he said.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (R)gave an impressive performance during the third televised debate organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU) on international affairs and defense issues, two subjects considered strong suits for his rival, Gerindra Party’s Prabowo Subianto (L). The debate, which was moderated by an international law professor from the University of Indonesia (UI), Hikmahanto Juwana, focused on international affairs and national defense. JP/Jerry Adiguna

Jakarta Post Summaries (the sound eerily the same)

Prabowo Subianto
The foundation for our foreign affairs and defense is the prosperity of the nation. Foreign affairs will mean nothing if domestically we are weak. If we are poor, then we will not be highly regarded by other nations. Domestic conditions reflect the strength of our foreign policy. Indonesia should secure its national resources as too many of them are flowing overseas. We should improve our domestic economic strength. Indonesia does not want to have enemies; 1,000 friends are not enough but just one enemy is too many.

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo

The foundation of our foreign policy is to be “free and active”. This would be carried out with four strategies: Protect migrant workers; protect natural and maritime resources; improve productivity and competitiveness; and participate in improving regional and global security. Around 80 percent of our ambassadors’ time should be spent on marketing our products. The world’s geopolitics has shifted from the West to the East. This has created a greater chance for Indonesia to play a significant role.

read more: 

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/06/23/jokowi-wins-prabowo-s-turf.html