Which candidate? How about ‘none of the above’?

Quality check: Indonesia’s General Elections Commission says some 939.9 million ballot papers will be printed for the upcoming elections.

WITH just over two months before voting day in Indonesia, more people have come out to denounce the way the elections are being run, saying that come April 17, they will simply stay away from polling stations.

Social media is flooded with people expressing dissilusionment at the lack of a real choice, the lack of appeal for them to vote and that their interests have been ignored or sidelined by candidates and political parties.This is true particularly with the presidential race, which presents the same two candidates as in 2014. Incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who began the election campaign with a massive lead, has the most to worry about as many of his traditional supporters have expressed disappointment at some of his recent decisions, including his choice of conservative Muslim cleric Ma’ruf Amin as running mate and the planned parole for terror convict Abu Bakar Basyir (although the decision was postponed 24 hours later).