Foreseeing Jakarta in the Next Five Years

Only a day left before millions of Jakarta’s citizen choose their new governor. Within these few months, the six candidates have campaigned through many ways. Even the official campaign just started about a week ago, the advertisements have been shown since several weeks ago. From mass media to social media, all candidates are trying to get the voters as many as they can. On their choice to use media campaigning tools, actually we can foresee how the candidates will govern Jakarta in the next five years.

Some candidates are still using the ‘traditional ways’ through putting their faces in posters, flyers, billboards and other printer materials. They also use TV, radio and other mass media placement to introduce themselves to public. By using mass media and all printed materials, it could be the effective ways to get many voters, especially from lower middle class group. The lower middle class people are easy to be influenced through “provocative slogans” and word of mouth. If the candidates put on their faces everywhere, it will be easier for them to be identified. Moreover, the lower middle class citizens do not really care on the candidates’ backgrounds. They prefer to choose the candidate who is familiar for them.

In fact, by using many printed advertisements, it shows that the candidates do not care enough to the environment. They might not consider the “go green” trend, which many of Jakarta’s citizens start to aware about environmental issues. They kind of unaware that using many printed materials for their campaign could give negative impact in their view about environmental issues. If they consider the environment that much, they will reduce using printed advertisement and started to use alternative media for campaign.

Meanwhile, we know that only two main problems in Jakarta that need to be solved immediately, which are traffic jam and flood. Traffic jam and flood are the two main problems in Jakarta that is related to environment. Logically, if the governor does not care enough to the environment, how can he solve the problem of traffic jam and flood in Jakarta? Moreover, if the candidates are using too many printed materials, it means that the candidates are easy to spend money for things that might be unimportant.

Despite using printed advertisement and mass media placement, some candidates are also using the social media. Usually, they are seeking the attention from the young people. They also invited some celebrities in social media to give an endorsement to support their candidatures. This shows how the candidates are very aware with the movement of information and technology. Campaigning through social media also means lesser cost with hopefully a huge effect. The candidates who are using social media intensively usually will get the attention from young people and upper middle class group. But, the candidates will be difficult touch the grass root people who are illiterate to social media.

The candidates who are using social media usually have segmented and exclusive voters. They will only gain big support from upper layer citizens. If they are chosen, they will take the job as effective as they can. They will prioritize the interest of upper middle class to make the city more modern and conform. They will follow the trend that happens in other metropolitan cities worldwide. Not to mention, they might do the “copy and paste” system to solve the problem in Jakarta from other metropolitan cities. It means they will have little clue on local character and grass root problems.

The way the candidates persuade the voters likely reflects how they will govern in the next five years. Media campaign is still becoming an effective tool to reach the voters. While the official campaign is just begun in last two weeks, the candidates were making the campaign through media. From their media campaign tools choice, at least we could foresee how they will govern in the next five years.