Fact Check and Re-Check, An Election Tool

As smear campaigns and unattested claims flooded the mainstream and social media ahead of the July 9 election, a group of researchers dedicated a blog called “Presidential Election Facts,” in hopes to bring some objectivity into the voters’ decision-making process.  They claimed they don’t know each other well, united only by their shared obsession with data and facts.
 
The blog tried to answer questions we all wonder about the presidential candidates’ past performance and allegations like corruption against presidential candidate Joko Widodo, or questions over citizenship and human rights issues of former general Prabowo Subianto. They categorize each fact as being right, wrong or in the grey area. The blog also attempts to make sense of jargons and government policies that came out of the televised presidential and vice presidential debates. The archive goes back to June 2014.
 
To be fair, both camps have complained about black campaign being used against them that has reached an unacceptable level. Being misinformed is a serious threat particularly to young voters and it undermines Indonesia’s democracy in its infancy. You can use this blog as a sensible tool and judge for yourself.