By: Gani Permata
Debate between the second presidential candidate between Joko Widodo and Prabowo Subianto. With the theme of energy, infrastructure, food, natural resources, and the environment, this debate is considered more alive than the first debate in January. Each party also considered his presidential candidate superior in this second presidential debate.
As incumbent, Jokowi was considered to have mastered the debate theme because he had provided evidence related to the theme discussed. Exposure is also carried out with trace and clear. This is accompanied by sufficient data stock, concrete ideas and concepts, and success in answering public doubts. Opposition criticism was silenced by conveying the achievements of the government in various fields during its leadership period.
Whereas Prabowo considers that he has succeeded in conveying an idea needed by the people. This was stated by Candidate Vice President number 02, Sandiaga Uno regarding Prabowo’s statement on food prices and cheaper electricity prices and jobs that were focused on the people of Indonesia.
“In terms of the essence of last night’s debate, Mr. Prabowo managed to convey a partiality. Whose partiality? To the people. “The partisanship by supporting national production sources was conveyed by Pak Prabowo, quite clearly and acceptable to the community,” said Sandiaga.
However, observers actually considered that Prabowo had almost no new ideas if he was elected in the 2019 Presidential Election. The Political Social Analysis of Jakarta State University (UNJ), Ubedilah Badrun said Prabowo only explained a little policy innovation if he led, especially related to environmental issues.
“Little has emerged from Prabowo, namely saving the environment will be separated between the Minister of Forestry and the Minister of Environment,” said Ubedilah.
While the Executive Director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), Nur Hidayati, revealed that his party was not satisfied with the answers of the two candidates in the debate. The two candidates were considered not to provide clear answers about what should be done to overcome the problems of food, energy and the environment. Even for Prabowo, his party considered that the candidate number 02 did not disclose data or plans.
“What is revealed is only jargon,” said Nur Hidayati.
Prabowo as a challenger in the 2019 Presidential Election event should be able to offer an alternative to the plans and things that Jokowi has done. But Prabowo seemed to agree with Jokowi and was unable to argue with Jokowi’s statements. Showing that he did not master the theme of the debate well.
Prabowo talked about independence but did not explain what would be done to support towards the realization of this independence. Talk about food self-sufficiency, but it does not elaborate on how to achieve it.
This situation made the stage of debate of the second presidential candidate like dominated and became Jokowi’s stage. Supported by the database, description of achievements and achievements, Jokowi’s presentation seemed more presentable, so that Jokowi seemed to have more control over the problem. Such performance was not shown by Prabowo. He tends to convey concepts that are glaring, lacking in data, not concrete and out of the context of the problem.
In fact, in the debate of the presidential candidate a necessity of attention will be focused on the performance of candidates. The public wants to see firsthand the ability of a presidential candidate. As a challenger, of course the public wants to see alternative ideas and concepts offered by Prabowo for the progress of the nation. A thing that did not appear at all during the second presidential debate.
* Student at Persada Indonesia University