Jakarta (Antara Babel) - Indonesian presidential and vice presidential candidates will begin their campaigns for the election on July 7 on Wednesday.
The Indonesian General Election Commission (KPU) has officially declared Prabowo Subianto and Joko Widodo as presidential candidates for the election.
Joko Widodo or Jokowi as he is popularly called is currently the Jakarta governor while Prabowo Subianto is a former military figure.
In the upcoming race predicted to be tight Jokowi will pair with former vice president Jusuf Kalla while Prabowo Subianto has chosen former chief economic minister Hatta Rajasa as his running mate.
The KPU has declared the two pairs as having been qualified to participate in the election, following verification of their health certificates and administrative documents.
The decision was stipulated in Decree Number 453/Kpts/KPU/2014 on the Decision of Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates for the Presidential Election in 2014.
KPU official Hadar Nafis Gumay explained that the KPU had verified 26 types of documents to determine whether candidates qualify.
"Since the registration of the candidates on May 18, we have received all documents covering 26 things needed for the verification," he said.
The Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa pair has received election sequence number one while Jokowi-JK number two.
The Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa presidential ticket is supported by six of the twelve political parties that participated in the legislative elections on April 0.
The six political parties are the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) where Prabowo comes from, Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) where Hatta Rajasa comes from, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Moon and Star Party (PBB).
The Jokowi-JK ticket meanwhile is supported by five political parties: the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) where Jokowi originates from, the National Democrats Party (Nasdem), the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI).
The ruling Democrat Party led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meanwhile has declared neutrality in the election but cadres are allowed to choose any candidate they like.
Open rallies for the election are scheduled to start on June 4 and will last until July 5.
Tension has been rising marked by emergence of both smear and negative campaigning through among others social media.
A ruling Democrat Party official meanwhile has seen what he calls an intensifying "war" on TV media as the presidential election nears.
"To us, it is like a sparring between one station and another," Syarifuddin Hasan said here on Saturday.
Citing an example, Syarifuddin said two TV news stations have been behaving as if in a war when broadcasting news on presidential candidates they support.
"What is important is they must not conduct black campaigns," he said.
The minister of cooperatives and small and medium businesses noted that building public opinion and promoting visions and missions of the candidates through TV media in the country was still an effective tool, especially among people living in remote regions.
He said the current candidates have adequate mass media to support them and, in view of that, "it will be interesting to see them fight."
The chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) meanwhile has warned about potential vulnerabilities that can affect implementation of the presidential election on July 9.
"There is a growing fear about the possibility of horizontal conflicts occurring, involving supporters of presidential and vice presidential candidates," Marciano Norman said in a statement here on Monday (June 2).
He also talked about the spread of rumors and "opinion wars" as well as smear campaigns on social media.
He said there were also radical ideological groups that had expressed their rejection of democracy as a political system. "They have strongly expressed their rejection of the implementation of the presidential election and had threatened to conduct violent actions and terrorism acts to abort it," he added.
He said the intelligence agency has taken necessary anticipatory measures to respond to various developments that can potentially disrupt the election.
Marciano Norman said BIN had coordinated on various intelligence measures with other security authorities, including the TNI (military) and the police force as well as state civilian apparatus, to ensure a fair, just and peaceful election.
"The intelligence measures are certainly conducted professionally, objectively, impartially and in an accountable manner," he added.
He said the BIN leadership and intelligence agencies will remain professional and neutral with regard to the election.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meanwhile has called on both camps to desist from spreading slanders during campaigning.
"Ahead of the election, political tensions will certainly increase and the political atmosphere will heat up. This is a rule in any country and era. Therefore, avoid actions that can create unnecessary suspicions and charges, moreover slanders. Let us save our country by not making it a sea of slanders," he stressed at a coordination meeting held in connection with the implementation of the presidential election at the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java, here on Tuesday (June3).
President Yudhoyono emphasized that slander is the enemy of all religions and it is crueler than murder.
The head of state confessed that negative campaigns do occur in any country during any election, but "black campaign" (smear campaign) or slander must be avoided.
"Not all people understand whether one is a black campaign or not. Some even believe it is true. So, if we engage in black campaign or slander then it will be a sin. We will be guilty because we will be providing information to our brothers about matters whose truth never exists," the head of state affirmed.
President Yudhoyono has also called on the mass media to remain accurate, constructive, fair, and balanced in their reporting.
He appealed to the masses to help make the presidential election successful, similar to what has been earlier achieved.
President Yudhoyono will not take part in the election, as by law, he is not allowed to seek re-election since he has held the post for two terms.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has reminded the Indonesian Military and Police to remain neutral and stay away from unwavering offers that draw institutions into practical politics during the July 9, 2014, presidential election.
"The neutrality of the Indonesian Military and Police must be preserved, don't step back, don't break it, and don't betray the uneasy process of the military and police's reformation at that time," stated President Yudhoyono while addressing high-level officers of the Indonesian Army here on Monday (June 2).
According to Yudhoyono, there is confirmed information about some parties trying to influence high-level military and police officers to get involved in practical politics.
"The information has been confirmed, and of course, it is not just invaluable confirmation that some parties have been trying to draw some high-level officers to support a specific presidential candidate. They even say that the members of the military and the police do not need to listen to their president as he is a leader of a sinking ship, and it is better to find a brighter new president," Yudhoyono stressed.
Yudhoyono deplored such offers that were not just tempting to the related individual to violate the seven clans and soldiers' vow, but also possibly threatened the stability of the state, the nation, and the reformation process.
"Be careful, don't be tempted," he added.
