With campaigning in full swing, Indonesia’s presidential hopefuls out to court the youth vote
The three candidates are making use of social media, wefies and memes to connect with those aged below 40
[JAKARTA] Election fever is in the air across Indonesia with the 75-day campaign period for next February’s presidential election in full swing.
While every vote is important in the race to find a successor to President Joko Widodo, political analysts have identified the younger group – there are 106.4 million eligible voters aged between 17 and 40 years old, who account for a little over half (52 per cent) of the electorate – for focus.
Already, the various political parties have begun drawing up new and different strategies to entice the two largest generations of this age band – the millennials and the Gen-Z, many of whom are still undecided about who they will vote for.
Come Feb 14, they will pick from three pairs of presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls: former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and former manpower minister Muhaimin Iskandar; ex-Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo and coordinating minister of political, legal and security affairs Mohammad Mahfud; and defence minister Prabowo Subianto and Solo mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Political lecturer Arga Pribadi Imawan said parties are already actively promoting their respective candidates through the heavy use of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter. Almost round the clock, they are churning out content such as memes, parodies and catchy hashtags.
Many of the candidates also post wefies with voters as they pound the ground, all in an effort to spread their campaign message and share a little more about themselves.
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“The youth in Indonesia today no longer focus on the political party that a candidate belongs to. Instead, they want to know more about the individuals (and what they stand for),” said Arga.
A recent survey by the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that social media was the go-to source for information on the election among voters aged 17-40, with 60 per cent of this group saying they get their updates mainly from these platforms. About a third (32 per cent) rely mostly on TV.
As things stand, it is Prabowo’s campaign team that has been the most active on social media. The team has been promoting the 72-year-old as an animal-lover, which is in stark contrast to the military strongman persona that many know him as. This is Prabowo’s third bid for the presidency, having lost twice to Widodo, in 2014 and 2019.
The former general, who has faced accusations relating to human rights issues during the 1998 riots, has made quite the impact so far. A spontaneous “gemoy” (Indonesian slang for “adorable”) dance during his party’s official announcement of his candidacy has gone viral on TikTok with more than 2.5 million “likes” and counting.
“(In the eyes of) the young generation, Prabowo appears in the public space as himself. Not everyone knows that he has this cute side,” said Cheryl Tanzil, a spokesperson from his campaign.
More ideas, less gimmicks
Among the millions of new voters for the upcoming Feb 14 election is Nathan, a 20-year-old university student who, like many Indonesians, go by one name.
He told The Business Times that he is aware that political parties are specifically reaching out to first-time voters like himself, and he is busy reading up about the policies, priorities and track records of each candidate before making up his mind.
“I really hope the candidates truly share their ideas and have the intent to execute them well. They must not be just gimmicks (to get votes),” he said.
He said he will cast his vote for the candidate who can help him get through school and secure a good job after graduation. He said that many youths like him understand that voting is important to determine the country’s future, with Indonesia hoping to achieve developed nation status by 2045.
“I’m aware that abstaining will get this country nowhere. I will use my right, even though I haven’t decided which candidate deserves my vote,” he said.
Concerned about the potential for misinformation and the growing use of political gimmicks during the campaign, Andhyta Firselly Utami is playing an active role to help voters like Nathan “make informed and better decisions”.
She co-founded Bijak Memilih – which translates to “choose wisely” – to provide a platform to discuss political issues ahead of the election.
Andhyta, a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School in the US, said the platform aims to educate Indonesia’s youth on politics. This involves piecing together information on the different political parties and candidates, and highlighting their stance on the issues that are more relevant to younger people.
The platform also provides both online and offline forums where youths discuss issues such as social equality, education and health. Its Instagram page has gathered close to 42,000 followers since it was launched in January this year.
“Young voters want candidates with concrete actions (so that when they are in power), they can make sure the job market is favorable for locals and ensure houses are affordable amid rising property prices,” said Noory Okthariza, a researcher at CSIS.
“If they want to attract younger voters, the candidates should include important issues in their manifesto such as the environment and mental health,” she added.
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