"This is the first time in the history of the general elections in the reforms era that the two presidential candidate pairs have given serious attention to the marine and fisheries sector," IGJ Executive Director M Riza Damanik said here on Thursday.
Damanik, who is also the chief patron of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Association (KNTI), noted that the two presidential pairs seemed to have a strong wish to improve the conditions of fishermen.
He remarked that the fishermen will therefore have high participation in the elections this time, and they will respond to the fisheries issues taken up by the two presidential candidates.
Damanik said that observing from the vision and mission of the two candidates, Prabowo had a stronger vision in terms of the concept but lacked elaboration.
Meanwhile, Joko Widodos concept was far more operational, but it could not yet answer both the existing and emerging problems.
"His concept has not yet provided direct answers to factual problems," he added.
Indonesia will organize a free and democratic presidential election on July 9, 2014, which will have only two pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Jusuf Kalla.
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 Jakartas 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.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
