JAKARTA, CCN — The fifth presidential debate of the 2024 election at the Jakarta Convention Center on Sunday, February 4, 2023, highlighted the cultural issue as its main subtheme. The three presidential candidates, Anies Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto, and Ganjar Pranowo, explained their views and strategies for advancing Indonesian culture.
Candidate number 1, Anies Baswedan, proposed the establishment of the Ministry of Culture as a step to provide greater support to cultural practitioners. According to him, culture is not just the responsibility of one development sector but is the goal of all development sectors. In his efforts to advance culture, Anies aims to create a healthy ecosystem so that cultural practitioners can express their creative expressions.
Candidate number 2, Prabowo Subianto, outlined his plan to establish a perpetual cultural fund. Prabowo argued that culture is the nation’s character, and to preserve it, the government must provide support to all cultural fields. Prabowo also emphasized the government’s role in preserving historical sites and providing space for innovation and creativity for artists.
Meanwhile, candidate number 3, Ganjar Pranowo, highlighted the freedom of expression for cultural practitioners. Ganjar argued that the bureaucracy should facilitate cultural activities and grant freedom to artists to express their creativity. He stressed the importance of letting artists criticize the government through their art and culture.
In responding to questions about views on the commercialization of culture and the destructive processes affecting the growth of a responsive culture, Prabowo emphasized the importance of a perpetual cultural fund. The Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka pair in their vision-mission emphasized the alignment of harmonious living with the environment, nature, and culture, as well as the enhancement of tolerance among different religious communities.
On the other hand, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD emphasized the provision of a perpetual cultural fund as a step to advance Indonesian culture. This pair also committed to supporting all works of art and cultural heritage from Indonesia to gain global recognition.
Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, on the other hand, emphasized the need to create a healthy ecosystem to support cultural practitioners in expressing their creative ideas. In their vision-mission document, they emphasized realizing an Indonesian society that is healthy, intelligent, productive, ethical, and cultured.
The fifth debate provided a deeper understanding of the views and strategies of presidential candidates regarding the advancement of culture in Indonesia, emerging as a crucial issue in the 2024 presidential election. (***)
