TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A public debate is more than just a war of words. Three of them preceding the Jakarta gubernatorial election in mid-February must be used by the candidates as a forum to share ideas and programs on how to develop our capital. To many of its residents, the debating platform will be about ensuring they are not buying a 'rotten potato in a sack'.

At a time when everything is contested from a free-for-all bloody fight to a dangdut street-singing competition, the debates must be equally interesting, entertaining and informative. That was what the public hoped for when they sat down to watch the three teams vying for the Jakarta governorship on a number of television stations last week, as well as the December 15 debate on Kompas TV. Noticeably, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and his running mate, Sylviana Murni were missing from that exchange.

At last Friday's debate, Agus appeared stiff, delivering his ideas as if by rote, frequently inserting English words and rushing his sentences. His arguments lacked substance, as when he spoke about his priority program direct cash assistance which was attacked by his rival candidates, including his proposal to provide an annual Rp1 billion aid to every subdistrict and to set aside rotating funds. He lashed out at his critics by saying they were heartless and suspicious of the poor.

Predictably, incumbent Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, pointed to Jakarta's 78.99 Human Development Index as a sign of his administration's success, asserting it was just below that of developed countries. Jakarta's poor, he claimed, now represented only 3.75 percent of the total population. Young Jakartans who have passed their exams to qualify for higher education institutions will receive an annual subsidy of Rp18 million.

There's something different about Ahok. More than once, he stressed his determination to be more polite and circumspect as a public official. He seems to be aware of public criticism that his data-style of communication is abrasive and something he has to improve on. Yet, his old demeanor shone through at times, particularly when he described third gubernatorial candidate, Anies Baswedan, as a professor who lacked field experience.

The Anies-Sandiaga Uno team appeared very relaxed, submitting a comprehensive human development plan for Jakarta. Anies also revealed data that seemed to squash some of Ahok's claims, asserting that when the Rp487,000 average monthly income of Jakarta's poor is measured against incomes of Rp1 million, their total number increases from 384,000 to 3.5 million. Anies and Sandi also claimed that one in three Jakarta children are unable to complete their middle school, with fully 65 percent of those in the Thousand Islands failing to graduate from high school.

Ahok and running mate Djarot Saiful Hidayat were quick to reject this latter assertion by showing that school attendance in Jakarta is growing by 5 percent a year. At the national level, they said, it was a mere one percent, adding that the number of high school dropouts stood at 0.5 percent. The incumbent team also submitted data showing that Rp1.5 trillion had been spent on subsidies for beef and other basic commodities to meet the nutritional needs of Jakarta residents.

Interestingly, Anies criticized Ahok's programs, which he said only focused on "money, food and brains." The former education minister asked about religious and customary morality, which he insisted had escaped Ahok's attention. As he put it: "I want to develop more than just 'dead' objects but also 'live' objects like Jakarta's human beings."

In any debate, candidates will try to sell their top product, not any secondary items. Last Friday's platform enabled them to pitch their best, while at the same time being more or less 'friendly' towards the contestants. For example, Ahok was not questioned about the blasphemy charges he is currently facing. Anies and Agus were also not queried about their visits to the headquarters of the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).

Come polling day on February 15, promises and arguments the candidates presented during the debate and those that follow will prove how effective they have been. To Jakartans, the coming election will be marked by one important factor: Ahok will be competing under a huge handicap. Because of his ongoing blasphemy trial, centering around his reference to chapter 51 of the Al-Maidah during a speech last November, he has not been well received in some places populated by religiously conservative voters.

For all that, however, the debate did appear to show that he was the candidate who best understood the city's problems, even if some surveys suggest only 70 percent of Jakartans are satisfied with him a low approval rating for an incumbent. Overall, the polls point to an even spread of votes among all three candidates, with some 15 percent of the electorate remaining undecided. They will likely determine the ultimate winner. (*)

Read the full story in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine