Tensions had prevailed in some parts of the country as supporters of presidential candidates Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan claimed to have received intimidation allegedly from state apparatus. They have also lamented the state apparatus’ failure to maintain impartiality as a necessity for a free and fair election.

At a mass rally at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta one day before the presidential debate, Ganjar expressed his displeasure with a series of threats facing his supporters, including artist and comedian Butet Kertaradjasa, whose stage performance had angered President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s volunteer group Projo, now backing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto. Projo had reported Butet to the Yogyakarta police for allegedly insulting the President, but later withdrew its complaint “upon the request of President Jokowi”.

For Anies, he has said the rampant acts of intimidation should not frighten those who back him. In an apparent attempt to console his supporters, Anies said the flurry of intimidation was beyond compare to the burden facing the country’s lower-income families and youth who were struggling to obtain jobs.

Not only supporters at the grassroots, former vice president Jusuf Kalla has also admitted to facing intimidation after he officially declared his support for Anies. Speaking on CNN Indonesia’s Political Show Podcast, Kalla said his businesses had had to deal with unnecessary hindrances ever since he picked a side.

As in the previous elections, the campaign season ahead of the Feb. 14 election has been marked by violations of the rules of the game. Most recently, the Surabaya chapter of the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) stopped on Saturday a concert featuring prominent boyband singer Ahmad Dhani, who is also a legislative candidate representing the Gerindra Party. Bawaslu insisted the concert was a violation of the campaign schedule sanctioned by the local poll commission.

While the Surabaya chapter of Bawaslu is also investigating a number of civil servants for their alleged involvement in the campaign rallies of certain presidential candidates, the official poll watchdog in Temanggung, Central Java, has summoned a village head after a picture showing him and other village chiefs attend a gathering organized by the campaign team of Prabowo and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka on Saturday went viral.

Bawaslu should uphold the rules through investigations into the violations, including the use of intimidation, and bring the perpetrators to the law enforcers – not only because the incidents go against the spirit of free, fair and just elections, but also because they will undermine the credibility of the elections.

It remains to be seen, however, whether Bawaslu will respond to the public outcry over alleged election rule violations implicating President Jokowi for his statement on partiality and his distribution of social assistance and direct cash transfers for the poor, acts which many deem benefit Prabowo and Gibran, the President’s eldest son.

The President has denied political motives behind the social safety net program and defended his political right to pick a side. But the fact that respected academics from various universities across the country have talked tough against the President should serve as a reminder, if not an alarm, that his acts of intervention have threatened the country’s hard-won democracy.

As if to add insult to injury, the Elections Ethics Council (DKPP) announced on Monday that the KPU chairman, Hasyim Asy'ari, had been found guilty of an ethics violation for allowing Gibran to run for vice president. The ruling will not disqualify Gibran, but clearly it bodes ill for his bid for the second-highest office.

Perhaps due to the widespread reactions against the blatant violations of democratic principles, Prabowo used his closing remarks of Sunday’s debate to apologize to his contenders. While it is never too late to say sorry, the final decision will be in the hands of the voters on Feb. 14.