JAKARTA -- Biting remarks and heated exchanges were noticeably absent during the sole debate Sunday night between Indonesia's two vice presidential candidates ahead of next month's presidential election.
Senior Muslim cleric Ma'ruf Amin, who was heavily criticized for barely speaking during a January debate that featured running mate and President Joko Widodo, surpassed expectations somewhat as he coherently presented the ticket's platforms on education, employment and other matters. But he stopped short of scrutinizing or criticizing his rival's platforms, settling instead for reading from notes on a number of occasions. Observers said direct attacks could do damage to Amin's reputation as a cleric.
