Presidential candidates Joko Widodo, right, and Prabowo Subianto, center, greet each other during a debate in Jakarta.
 
Associated Press
It’s been a raucous month of campaigning, marked by boisterous rallies, whistle stop tours and weekly debates that have seen Indonesia’s two presidential candidates square off on the biggest issues facing Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Millions of voters will go to the polls Wednesday to choose between Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo and former army general Prabowo Subianto. The race is razor close, and none of the debates managed to produce a decisive winner, leaving a big question mark over the outcome of the election. On the eve of the poll, we look back at where the candidates stand on the issues and how they each performed on the stump.

Debate 1: Democratic development, clean governance and law enforcement
Mr. Subianto spoke of a grand, sweeping vision for Indonesian democracy, while Mr. Widodo highlighted specific achievements he’d made as governor.
“Democracy means listening to the people,” Mr. Widodo said. “That’s why every day we come to the villages, we come to the markets, we come to the river banks, we come to the farmers and we come to the fish markets.”
“Protecting all citizens is our constitutional principal,” said Mr. Subianto, a former general in Indonesia’s special armed forces during the era of long-time autocrat Suharto. Mr. Subianto was later dismissed from the military after a panel found he had orderedthe kidnapping of democracy activists in 1998, when Suharto, his then father-in-law resigned amid massive street protests. Mr. Subianto, who has said he was acting on orders, addressed a question about his past by saying: “If I have to act firm to protect the human rights, I will act firm because my conscience is clear.”
Outcome: A draw.

Indonesia’s presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto (R) speaks as his opponent Joko Widodo (2nd R) looks on during a televised debate in Jakarta on June 15.
 
Reuters
Debate 2: The economy and social welfare
Both touched on ways they would improve infrastructure, raise living standards and better distribute wealth across a country of more than 17,500 islands, with Mr. Widodo tending to emphasize more efficient use of existing systems and Mr. Subianto promising to create and invest more resources.
Mr. Subianto said he would be friendly toward foreign investment while also working to protect small businesses.
He focused on creating a “people’s economy” and preventing leaks from the budget. He also stressed the need to boost growth well beyond its current rate of 5-6%.
Mr. Widodo highlighted the need for “regulations that give opportunities for local investors,” and sounded a new note by saying he believed Indonesia could achieve higher than 7% growth rates by improving the investment climate and marketing more aggressively overseas.
Outcome: Mr. Widodo spoke from experience; Mr. Subianto stuck to macro issues. As one political analyst put it, Mr. Widodo didn’t win, but Mr. Subianto didn’t lose. Thus, the talk of this debate was about language, with an obscure acronym making an appearance, and the emergence of leaks drawing widespread chatter on social media.

Indonesian presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto, at left, and Joko Widodo shake hands during a televised debate in Jakarta.
 
Associated Press
Debate 3: International relations and defense
Mr. Widodo came out strong, surprising some observers by promising force if needed to guarantee national security. He also was seen to have provided more substance on topics as varied as illegal fishing and overseas workers than Mr. Subianto, who stuck to his usual rhetoric of the country’s need to boost welfare for the poor and protect Indonesian resources from leaking out of the country. Mr. Widodo’s plans to improve migrant worker protections, strengthen the military and be firm in the face of border disputes while also building trust with neighbors, such as Australia, went down well with many observers.
“Don’t think I’m not firm. ‘Firm’ for me is to dare to make decisions and take risks,” said Mr. Widodo. “When it comes to sovereignty, I will do whatever it takes.”
“Too much of our assets have been taken outside Indonesia,” said Mr. Subianto. “We export bauxite, and then import aluminum. That is a leakage.” He then added: “The biggest threat coming from the domestic front is poverty and the lack of control by Indonesia of its assets.”
Outcome: Mr. Widodo emerged strong than expected, showing broad, versatile knowledge of the issues but often getting bogged down in the details. Mr. Subianto repeated the same theme that Indonesia was leaking wealth and focused on building social welfare as a solution to ensuring national security. That seemed to give him a slight edge – though not enough to win over undecided voters, said analysts.

Presidential candidates with their running mates, second left, Prabowo Subianto with Hatta Rajasa, left, and Joko Widodo, second right, with Jusuf Kalla, right, pose for photographers during during the declaration of peaceful elections in Jakarta on June 3.
 
Associated Press
Debate 4: Human resources, science and technology
In a debate between the vice presidential candidates, Jusuf Kalla and Hatta Rajasa were largely in agreement about the need to improve the quality of education in the country by boosting the budget and giving tax breaks to companies that funded research and development. Those who stuck around long enough to see its conclusion gave the win to Mr. Rajasa, who resigned from the economic coordinating ministry to run on this year’s election ticket with Mr. Subianto. Most viewers, however, pretty much wrote the debate off as a snore, with some admitting they were tuning out early.

Hatta Rajasa, vice presidential candidate, from left, Prabowo Subianto, presidential candidate, Sudharto P. Hadi, debate moderator, Joko Widodo, governor of Jakarta and presidential candidate, and Jusuf Kalla, vice presidential candidate, sing the national anthem of Indonesia during a debate in Jakarta on July 5.
 
Bloomberg
Debate 5: Food and energy security and the environment
For many, this debate, the last of five just days before the July 9 election, was more about the differences in the candidates’ styles and tones. Mr. Widodo came out firing and Mr. Kalla too shot back, responding at one point to a question from Mr. Rajasa by saying, “Your question is good, but it’s the wrong one.”
Mr. Subianto lost his composure at times, raising his voice when Mr. Widodo asked him to explain what he had accomplished as head of a farmers’ welfare organization. Mr. Widodo, on the other hand, seemed energized and comfortable in his trademark checkered shirt.
Mr. Widodo spoke directly to the country’s large population of farmers, stressing the help they need in creating markets for exports. “The problem is that we have never prepared the markets” or the “post-harvest industries,” he said.
Mr. Subianto spoke in larger terms. He stressed the need to open up new agricultural lands and improve irrigation by building more reservoirs. He said using different fertilizers could boost agricultural output by 40%.
Both teams stressed the need for energy diversification and bringing alternative fuels into the mix.
Outcome: The debate was the most energized of the five, but as with them all, both candidates appealed to their support bases, leaving observers to wait until Wednesday’s vote is tallied to see how undecided voters will chose.