According to a recent survey by a coalition of NGOs, no matter which legislative candidates (caleg) people vote for in today’s general election, corrupt, lazy and incompetent politicians are set to dominate national and regional parliaments, with only 95 out of more than 200,000 candidates having clean records and reasonable levels of competency

Man: Well, there’s lots of used up legislative candidates aren’t there!

Signs read: Election stall, Buy and sell used votes. Documents read: Ballot papers.

1st Man: Look out, carbon emissions!

2nd Man: Look out, promise emissions!

Signpost reads: Riyal, dignity, poverty, improving quality of life.

Man (speaking to KPK chief Abraham Samad): There’s an unpleasant odor of social aid funds isn’t there Mr?

The tongue indeed has no bone
Is not marked by words
A mountain of a thousand promises
What is said may differ from what is felt

(from a song by Bob Tutupoly)

Document in legislative candidate’s pocket reads: Track record, money politics, corruption, collusion and nepotism.

Man: This isn’t a standup comedy is it? (documents in basket read ‘Perspectives 2009’)

Kid: For the sake of April 9 they’re all going on leave, who’ll run the country Dad?

Man: For... well that’s how it is!

With President Yudhoyono leading the pack, six ministers have now officially requested ‘campaign leave’ to stump for their political parties in lead-up to April 9 legislative elections.

Before election...

After election...

Badge reads Legislative Candidate. Chest reads Budget.

Kid: Rushing it aren’t we?

Man (Speaking to KPK chief Abraham Samad): Mr, do you think perhaps that future former officials are afraid of being made to wear KPK vests!

Man: The most difficult requirement to be elected as a statesperson is they must have a conscience...

Kid: Those who think they’ve got a conscience are becoming soap opera stars now Dad!

Man: For the sake of the nation right Mr?

Activists have slammed a General Elections Commission plan to criminalise campaigning for golput (abstaining or invalidating a vote) ahead of this year’s legislative and presidential elections.

Man: Bored yet Mr! Forget about it until there’s a change of administration then dig it up again like usual!

Kid: A political Pandora’s box

Say no to corruption!
Say no to the drug mafia!
Say no to illegal rice imports!
Say no to... such-and-such... eh... accountability!

Despite repeated assurances by the General Elections Commission (KPU) that preparations for the 2014 legislative elections are on track, public confidence in the KPU was dealt another blow this week when it was reported that in several regions hundreds of ballot boxes used in the 2009 elections (Pemilu 2009) have been left out in the open due to

Smoke reads: Natural disasters, volcanic eruptions, flash floods, politics, corruption, Constitutional Court bribes, Upstream Oil and Gas Regulator bribery, political parties, election witness fees...

Sign reads: 2014 Festival of Democracy (2014 legislative and presidential elections)

Man: It’s a level 3 alert!

Water reads: Natural Disasters. Sack reads: Budget.

The Election Supervisory Committee is to summon officials from 10 ministries over allegations of the misuse of social aid funds to assist victims of natural disasters that it believes have been siphoned off for election campaigning.

Price list reads: Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) 100 million rupiah, House of Representatives (DPR) 200 million, Regent 300 million, Governor 500 million, President 1 billion

The political parties (parpol) are drooling at the mouth at the prospect of siphoning off billions of rupiah for their electoral campaigns after a controversial decision by the government to allocate 1.5 trillion rupiah (US$123 million) towards election witness fees (dana saksi) for the April 9 legislative elections.