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A leaked confidential US diplomatic cable reveals that the US Embassy in Jakarta believed the 2007 gubernatorial election won by Fauzi Bowo had been “rigged” by the capital’s elites.

The cable, dated April 25, 2007, ahead of the election, was among the unredacted cables released by WikiLeaks over the past week. It is believed to have been written by the then-deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy, John Heffern.

“Voters hungry for a serious campaign about the myriad problems afflicting a city still reeling from devastating flooding will have to content themselves with ‘a campaign’ between two candidates who bought their way into contention and squeezed out all competition,” the cable reads.

“Despite the intense press coverage of the election and its national importance, the Jakarta elites have rigged the game.”

The cable said a number of sources, including a member of the Golkar Party central board named Dadan Irawan, told the embassy that former Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso was supporting Fauzi financially because Fauzi would “reward this loyalty by blocking any efforts to investigate Sutiyoso’s murky business dealings after he departs office.”

Fauzi, it said, was also expected to allow Sutiyoso to continue the money-making opportunities he had enjoyed as governor.

“Our contacts tell us that Vice Governor Fauzi purchased the support of three of the four largest political parties in Jakarta for at least Rp 5 billion apiece [$555,000],” the cable says, referring to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar, and the Democratic Party.

The largest, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), already had its own financial backing as its candidate, Adang Daradjatun, a former deputy chief of the National Police, reportedly paid the party between Rp 15 billion and Rp 25 billion for its support.

“Jakarta governor’s race will, in some fashion, serve as a litmus test for the 2009 presidential election,” the cable said.

In response, Fauzi told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that all of his campaign funds had been audited by public accountants and reported to the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Regional Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu).

Political researcher Burhanuddin Muhtadi said he had heard the same claims about the 2007 election.

“I was told about the alleged payments by one of the party chairmen and Fauzi’s campaign manager,” he said. “However, even if the cables are true, it’s not court evidence.”

Political analyst Arbi Sanit said it was not a secret that vote-buying and money-politics were the only way to win regional elections.

“Each party has its own price, according to how many seats they have in the regional legislature,” he said. “Candidates have to pay for their support, and pay more if they want the party to campaign for them.”

But both analysts were unconvinced independent candidates were the solution.

Burhanuddin said the obstacles were too big. “They don’t have sufficient financial resources and the people are also not interested in funding their campaign.”