A kidney for votes: Candidates struggle with Indonesian election costs
Al Jazeera
Thousands are standing for election on Wednesday but many find it hard to get the money they need to campaign.
Bali, Indonesia – For the last few months, 47-year-old Erfin Dewi Sudanto has been trying to sell his kidney.
One of thousands of candidates running in Indonesia’s regional legislative council elections on February 14, he had hoped to raise $20,000 to help fund his political campaign.
“This is not just a sensation. I am serious. I am minus, no property. The only way [to fund my campaign] is selling my kidney,” Erfin, standing for the National Mandate Party in Banyuwangi in East Java, told Al Jazeera after his social media appeal went viral.
With campaigning continuing for two months, the cost of running in Indonesia’s election is expected to be higher than ever this year. While political parties usually provide some support for logistics and witnesses to oversee the count, candidates must find money for the rest – from stump speeches to campaign T-shirts and memorabilia.
Erfin estimates he needs as much as $50,000 and reveals that much of that will go to providing what he describes as “tips” to secure the support of potential voters.
