Common touch of wealthy candidates seems a bit rich
All of the candidates in Indonesia's presidential campaign have claimed to speak on behalf of the common people - but a look at their wealth reveals an enormous gap between them and the voters they want to represent.
Presidential and vice-presidential candidates in Indonesia - where the World Bank estimates that 42 per cent of the 240 million population earns between US$1 and US$2 a day - must lodge a declaration of assets.
The richest among the six candidates is Prabowo Subianto.
A lieutenant general in the army until 1998, Mr Prabowo's family estate is valued at 1.7 trillion rupiah (HK$1.2 billion), including 28 billion rupiah in cash and stocks in companies in Argentina, France and Kazakhstan.
A son-in law of the late dictator Suharto, Mr Prabowo also owns 94 horses, hundreds of goats, eight cars and a motorcycle - worth a total of 1.98 billion rupiah, Tempo Magazine said.
Mr Prabowo is the running mate of presidential hopeful Megawati Sukarnoputri, whose total wealth is estimated at 256.4 billion rupiah. The two are campaigning on a new deal for the nation's poor farmers. Ms Megawati, daughter of Indonesia's founding father, Sukarno, owns 23 cars, 10 motorcycles, carvings, paintings, precious stones and jewellery.
Presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla's wealth is estimated at 314 billion rupiah. The businessman owns an empire in his native Sulawesi comprising various companies, 50 plots of land and buildings. His running partner, former army chief Wiranto, has an 84 billion rupiah fortune, which includes 47 plots of land and nine cars.
The least wealthy candidates are incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate, former Bank Indonesia governor Boediono. Dr Susilo has declared assets of 9.3 billion rupiah, including savings from his 62.7 million rupiah monthly salary and royalties from songs he has composed. Boediono is worth 22 billion rupiah, mostly in shares.
Taslimah, a street restaurant vendor in Denpasar, said the wealth gap with voters made no difference.
'Whether they understand my life or not does not matter. Nothing changes. Politicians always lie anyway.'
Taslimah, 50, said she earned 30,000 rupiah on a good day.
Umar Juoro, chairman of the Centre for Information and Development Studies, said the gap was normal.
'A leader must be more educated and is therefore more well off. The difference in wealth is not an issue.
'To become a politician is a very expensive business. In Indonesia, a candidate that doesn't have solid financial support cannot run for any political position, let alone president.'
