VZCZCXRO2391
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0038 1071007
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171007Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0397
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0384
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0164
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0190
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0405

UNCLAS SURABAYA 000038 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON PREL ASEC PHUM ID
SUBJECT: MALUKU: HIGH TURNOUT, ENTHUSIASM, ETHNICITY NOT RELIGION 
MARK LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU). Summary: The parliamentary elections in Maluku were 
peaceful and voter turnout was high. Despite the area's history 
of sectarian conflict, the outcome of this and recent local 
elections demonstrated that religion is no longer the primary 
factor in choosing political leadership. Voters tend to support 
candidates from the same tribe or village regardless of their 
religious background. Preliminary counts show that the 
President's Partai Demokrat has a strong lead over Golkar and 
PDIP, which dominated the 2004 elections. End Summary. 
 
Decisions, decisions... 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) We visited several polling stations in Ambon on 
election day. Polling stations were well-organized and election 
officials appeared prepared for their tasks.  Approximately 
two-thirds of registered voters turned out, although many seemed 
confused by the numerous choices and complexity of the ballots. 
Witnesses from a number of political parties were actively 
observing the voting and ballot-counting processes. The security 
presence was adequate, and citizens in some polling stations 
lingered long after their ballots were cast, turning the 
democratic process into an entertaining community event. Most 
shops and public transport in Ambon did not operate during the 
election, freeing citizens to participate in the process 
throughout the day. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Most voters said that their main reasons for voting 
were a desire for economic improvement, reduced unemployment and 
better educational opportunities for their children. Voters were 
eager to support any candidate who could realistically deliver 
on his/her commitment to improve the community, although the 
clear preference was for candidates with a common tribal or 
village connection. 
 
Village/Ethnicity Most Important 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Although Ambon is about 60% Christian and 40% Muslim, 
voters did not consider religion a significant factor in this 
election. This is not surprising. Maluku's current governor is a 
Christian who won a healthy 62% of the vote, backed by 
nationalist party PDIP and Islamic-based parties PBB and PKB. In 
addition, Muslim voters helped elect the Maluku House Speaker 
and the Mayor of Ambon, both of whom are Christians. Two local 
Muslim intellectuals, Hasbollah (deputy rector of Ambon Islamic 
University), and Abidin (leader of the Maluku Interfaith Forum), 
told us that following the sectarian conflicts in Maluku, people 
no longer consider religion a major issue in selecting good 
leaders. Rev. Johny Ruhulesin, head of Maluku Synod, was of the 
same opinion. He added that for Maluku voters, a local leader 
who shares a clan or village connection trumps one who merely 
shares the same religion. Islamic party PKS reportedly attempted 
to use Islam as a tool to mobilize voters, but did not gain much 
traction. 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to Daniel Alexander Pattiwae of TV Ambon, the 
"quick count" showed President SBY's party Partai Demokrat well 
ahead of PDIP and Golkar. As votes were being counted in one 
polling station we observed, onlookers shouted their support 
every time they heard the name of Sonny Waplua, a local Chinese 
businessman from Partai Demokrat. Sonny Waplau and Alex Litaay 
-- former secretary general of PDIP -- were clearly the dominant 
vote-getters during the oral count. Some voters explained that 
they supported Waplau because he is a known business leader who 
could provide jobs. Waplau is not his actual family name, but 
rather the name of the village in Maluku where he lives, which 
he has adopted as his own. 
 
MCCLELLAND