TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Charta Politika Executive Director Yunarto Wijaya sensed an improvement of economic discussions heading up to the 2019 presidential election, even though this year’s election sees the same presidential candidates as the ones in the 2014 election.

“This year’s election has a better quality in economic discussions since it carries a different theme,” said Yunarto at Hotel Mulia today, January 17.

Back in the 2014 presidential election, Yunarto said, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Prabowo Subianto were considered as newcomers that highlighted more about the personal branding of the two candidates. That situation made the debates be dominated by personal attacks such as communism, political activist kidnappings, and only saw minor debates on policies that matter.

Meanwhile, this year’s election carries a theme that predominantly tests and evaluates the incumbent’s policies.

“Whenever there are personal attacks and negative campaigns, it can be accounted for, which will then be directed to economic policies,” Yunarto explained.

The economic policies he refers to is discussions that arise in the wake of the 2019 presidential election in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) ratio compared to state-debts, Indonesia’s poverty line, up to the less-significant issues such as 'tempeh has slimmed to the size of an ATM card' once highlighted by VP candidate Sandiaga Uno.

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