Q&A: Irwandi Jusuf: 'Why I will win the election'

‘Why I will win the election’

By Protus Tanuhandaru

BANDA ACEH, The Point

A national polling institution has performed a quick count on Aceh’s Dec. 11 gubernatorial election, declaring one of the candidates a likely winner of the election, even though the official result of election is only due to be released in early January 2007.

The polling conducted by Lingkaran Survei Indonesia (Indonesian Surveyors Circle) has found that Irwandi Jusuf, one of the candidates contending during gubernatorial election, has secured 39% of the total votes cast, a landslide victory.

The result of the election, if correct, is unprecedented, beeing an unusual phenomenon in which an independent candidate who did not spend much time campaigning, overwhelmed other candidates backed by the supposedly powerful political parties.

Days before the election, The Point interviewed Jusuf, on why he felt he would win, what he would do if he did win, and what he thought about the election itself.

The following are the excerpts from The Point:

Q: Are you optimistic about the first round of the election?
A: Yes I am, as the constituents of Aceh are calling on me to become the governor of Aceh. There’re even reports saying that we have the most support, potentially 700,000 votes, larger than 26% limit required to win the election.

Q: But should none of the candidates win the election of the first round, do you think you will be able to enter the second round?
A: I’m not even expecting a second round.

Q: There have been both reports and rumors saying that some of the major political parties could have engaged in money politics, trying to win over voters. You’re not worried about this?
A: No I’m not, but to anticipate such a practice, we have been sending people to patrol areas we think vulnerable to money politics.

Q: Did your men find anyone attempting to persuade people to swing their votes, by means of money politics?
A: Yes they did.

Q: Where did they find them and what did your men do to them?
A: We simply warned them and asked them to leave.

Q: Are you expecting electoral manipulation?
A: If there is any, blame the Aceh Independent Election Commission (KIP), as it has left many potential voters unregistered, many of whom are GAM. Nor had the KIP properly disseminated information regarding the election, leaving many not knowing who the candidates are, where to vote and when.

Q: If you win the gubernatorial election, what will you do?
A: I will first of all implement good governance – sweeping the province of feudalism or royalties hampering the progress of democratization. As an egalitarian, I see no other reason of why I should be distant from my people, particularly the grassroots.

Q: But there has been talk that once you’re elected as governor, there is a possibility of secession, that is, Aceh no longer being part of Indonesia.
A: I want to ask those narrow-minded ultranationalists: Where is the clause or loophole in the Memorandum of Understanding that allows GAM to do so? Should we really do that, we will definitely be condemned by the world, unless the central government breaches the peace agreement first.

Born on August 2, 1960 in Bireun, Aceh, Irwandi Jusuf is a father of five. Having earned his degree in medicine from Syah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, he went to College of Veterinary Medicine Oregon State University, Oregon, USA, obtaining his master’s degree in veterinary medicine. Subsequently, he became one of the founders of Flora Fauna International in Aceh, and became a member of International Commission Red Cross in 2001. Before the tsunami and the ensuing peace process, he was a member of a member of the GAM Monitoring Team, the negotiator representing GAM in Aceh. Captured by the Indonesian military, he became a prisoner of war, detained in Kedh, Banda Aceh.