Thursday’s presidential debate has been dismissed as a waste of time, with the candidates being heavily criticized for failing to address issues related to the environment, corruption and human rights.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Indonesia Corruption Watch and Greenpeace Indonesia railed against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and former President Megawati Sukarnoputri for their failure to offer solutions to some of the country’s most pressing problems.

Edwin Partogi from Kontras said that the three candidates demonstrated little if any intent to resolve past human rights violations.

He also said that none of the presidential hopefuls presented a strong case on the issue of gender equality.

“In the case of migrant workers, none of the candidates explored solutions that involve gender equality aspects,” he said.

Danang Widoyoko, the deputy coordinator of ICW, said Kalla and Yudhoyono were hesitant to take a strong stand on corruption, while Megawati appeared to have no knowledge of the issue at all.

“Megawati talked about the importance of the mental reform of the bureaucracy,” he said. “Kalla and Yudhoyono also failed to offer a better solution.”

Bustar Maitar, a forest campaigner at Greenpeace Indonesia, said he was disappointed that environmental issues were not touched on in any depth by the candidates.

“There are many environmental issues that they all failed to address,” Bustar said.

The three organizations asked that the presidential candidates highlight nine issues of concern, namely human rights, the environment and natural resources, national budget priorities, court corruption, migrant workers, religious freedom and minority rights, urban evictions, land conflict with tribal communities and gender equality. Camelia Pasandaran