Shanti Ramchand learned quickly what was expected when she began campaigning in Jakarta for Indonesia's national parliament; distribute envelopes of cash at a small campaign event, and give a motorcycle or an air-conditioning unit to the community leader.

Ramchand — an aspiring politician from the National Democrat Party, part of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's coalition — is trying a novel approach to getting elected. She is not only eschewing the cash and gifts that are traditionally given out on the campaign trail, but making that the centerpiece of her pitch to voters.

Indonesia is the world's third-largest democracy, but researchers say it has some of the worst money politics in Southeast Asia. According to both politicians and anti-graft advocates, handouts of cash and gifts lead to rampant corruption in its national legislature as successful candidates recoup their election expenses, and more, once elected.