Arientha Primanita & Markus Junianto Sihaloho

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the final presidential debate. (Photo: Jurnasyanto Sukarno, JG)

Campaign Finale Today: Mind the Gridlock!

The monthlong presidential election campaign period ends today with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Boediono hosting their grand finale in the capital.

Those going to their giant afternoon rally at Gelora Bung Karno stadium are promised hours of entertainment, but not everyone will be feeling too exuberant as the event is likely to bring  swaths of traffic in Jakarta to a standstill.

Marzuki Alie, a senior member of the Yudhoyono and Boediono campaign team, said he expected 150,000 supporters. Top-flight artists and bands such as  GIGI, Ungu, Andra and The Backbone, Elfa Secioria and Mike Mohede will play from noon. Yudhoyono is expected to speak at 4 p.m.

Jakarta Police said they would assign about 3,500 police personnel to secure the stadium and its immediate surroundings. They are also expecting well over a hundred thousand to attend.

Several recent surveys have shown that the Yudhoyono-Boediono pair remain at the top of the popularity list.

Meanwhile, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is running for the presidency with Gen. (ret.) Wiranto, is expected to spend the day visiting different cities in densely populated East Java.

The other candidate, former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who is running with Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto, will spend the last day of the campaign in Central Java.

Campaigning ends at midnight tonight, when the “silent period” begins, a three-day break intended to give voters a chance to consider the candidates and the issues immediately ahead of election day  on Wednesday without being subjected to campaign events and news reports.

But the Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that the media can report on election-related events during the period. It also said pollsters can announce quick-count results on election night.

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