Medan, Indonesia – On a blisteringly sizzling and thundery day within the metropolis of Medan, followers peeled off their T-shirts and hoisted one another up onto shoulders to get a greater view of one among Indonesia’s most well-known rock bands.
“Don’t neglect to unfold the virus of peace throughout Indonesia” Slank’s frontman and lead vocalist, Akhadi Wira Satriaji, higher often called Kaka, screamed to the hundreds of people that had come all the way down to Istana Maimun, the palace of the Sultanate of Deli, to rock out with their favorite band.
The gang, often called “Slankers”, roared their approval and grabbed selfies with their idol, as Kaka crouched close to the sting of the stage, shaking fingers and bumping fists with thrilled followers.
However whereas the environment was electrical, Slank had not come to Medan on Indonesia’s western island of Sumatra, simply to placed on present.
In Indonesia, there’s a custom of presidential and vice presidential candidates enlisting fashionable musicians of their campaigns in an try to spice up their electability.
“Political elites and political events have truly been utilizing artists to achieve assist or votes for a very long time,” stated Hikmawan “Indra” Saefullah, who performed guitar within the Indonesian indie band Alone at Final from 2002 to 2013 and is a lecturer in Indonesian Research on the College of New England.
“Whether or not it’s efficient or not is moderately tough to measure except you wish to wait till the election outcomes come out. Even then, it’s tough to know for certain whether or not a candidate’s victory was the results of votes from a supporting artist’s followers or not. As a result of voting is secret. So who is aware of?”
The Slank gig was organised along with a go to to the town by presidential hopeful and former governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, and his working mate Mahfud MD, the previous coordinating minister for politics, authorized and safety affairs.
A pure match
To some supporters, the live performance was the proper mixture of music and politics.
Johnny and Dian, each development employees, instructed Al Jazeera that they have been lifelong Slankers and fervent supporters of Ganjar.
“We like their songs as a result of they’re simple to hearken to and perceive, they usually attraction to younger folks,” 30-year-old Johnny stated. “Slank additionally typically come to Medan to carry out and we additionally go to see them.”
Dian, additionally 30, added that he preferred Slank as a result of they “sing from the center” and that he would vote for Ganjar and his social gathering, the Indonesian Democratic Celebration of Battle (PDI-P), as a result of Slank supported them.
For Dian, the band and the candidates are a pure match. He famous Slank was concerned with social justice, whereas the PDI-P, a secular-nationalist social gathering, had historically been affiliated with the pursuits and rights of employees throughout Indonesia.
“Ganjar will work for the folks and can make adjustments for the Indonesian populace. He helps grassroots employees greater than different candidates,” Dian stated.
Slank was based in 1983 by a bunch of then-teenagers in Jakarta and takes its title from the time period “slange’an” which suggests “free males” in Betawi, the language of the Betawi ethnic group within the capital.
Slank has additionally lengthy been identified for the political nature of lots of its songs and lent its assist to present Indonesian President Joko Widodo, popularly often called Jokowi, when he ran for the presidency in 2014 and 2019 on a PDI-P ticket.
Now that Ganjar is the PDI-P presidential candidate (Jokowi has served the utmost two phrases in workplace), Slank can be backing him forward of the presidential election on February 14.
“They wish to construct a notion among the many public that they are going to be left behind or ‘not cool’ in the event that they don’t assist the PDI-P and Ganjar [by saying], ‘See, Slank assist him, why wouldn’t everybody else?’” lecturer Saefullah stated of the alliance.
Additionally within the crowd on the live performance have been market-sellers 34-year-old Ratna and 28-year-old Lisa who stated that that they had come to the occasion to assist Ganjar who they praised for being “an mental candidate”.
Amongst his election guarantees, Ganjar has stated will enhance Indonesians’ work life, together with elevating salaries, paying off farmers’ money owed and eliminating the corruption and nepotism which have lengthy plagued the job market in Indonesia.
He has additionally pledged to distribute social help extra evenly and broadly throughout the archipelago of 278 million folks.
“The price of residing is rising in Indonesia and necessities have gotten dearer,” Ratna stated. “Rice and cooking oil are dearer now whereas salaries are nonetheless low. We would like salaries to be cheap, which is why we assist Ganjar.”
No ensures
Nonetheless, not everybody within the crowd was satisfied.
Mulia, a 20-year-old communications pupil on the State Islamic College of North Sumatra, instructed Al Jazeera that he had come to the live performance to see Slank however that he had but to determine who to vote for.
“Possibly I’ll select Ganjar. It looks as if he’s near younger folks and he may do extra for the youth of Indonesia if he’s elected,” he stated.
“It relies upon how I really feel once I see him. If I like him, then I’ll vote for him.”
Ganjar, himself, made solely a short look on the live performance.
Given a standard Sumatran welcome dance, he made his method by means of the gang, a flower garland round his neck, greeting supporters who screamed and grasped his fingers whereas taking selfies on their telephones.
However, whereas Ganjar stood alongside Kaka and clapped enthusiastically to the music, he didn’t deal with the gang and shortly left for one more occasion with working mate Mahfud.
Different candidates are additionally hoping the facility of celeb interprets into votes.
Former Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and working mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who can be Jokowi’s oldest son and the present mayor of the town of Surakarta or Solo, have been endorsed by Indonesian rock band Dewa 19.
In the meantime, Rhoma Irama, the so-called “King of Dangdut”, a type of Indonesian people music, has thrown his assist behind the previous Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan and the deputy speaker of the Folks’s Consultant Council, Muhaimin Iskandar.
‘Slank U’
Again at Istana Maimun, 19-year-old Lufti and his 5 pals have been waving a flag bearing Slank’s brand, and stated that they have been a mixture of Prabowo and Anies voters and had no intentions of voting for Ganjar.
“We’re hardcore Slankers as a result of their songs are wonderful and so enjoyable to hearken to,” Lufti stated.
“I received’t vote for Ganjar as a result of Prabowo is my idol,” he added. “I’ll all the time select Prabowo as a result of he has vowed to maintain the nation protected and guard our nationwide pursuits.”
Tio, sporting a Slank-themed T-shirt embossed with the phrases “Slank U”, was on the live performance together with his spouse Cindy.
They stated they have been there “to see Slank first and Ganjar second”.
“I like Slank as a result of they’re such inventive musicians they usually preach a message of peace,” the 20-year-old entrepreneur instructed Al Jazeera.
“They make their songs for the folks they usually all the time supported Jokowi when he was working for workplace,” Tio stated of his favorite band.
However Tio’s assist additionally highlights the potential threat politicians face once they search endorsements from rock bands.
“I’ll vote for Ganjar now due to Slank’s endorsement,” Tio stated. “But when they determined to assist one other candidate like Prabowo, then I might observe Slank and assist Prabowo too.”
