(CPOD) Jun. 2, 2004 – Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is still the most popular candidate in Indonesia, according to a poll by the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES). 41 per cent of respondents would support Yudhoyono of the Democrat Party (PD) in the country’s first-ever direct presidential ballot.
(CPOD) Jun. 2, 2004 – Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is still the most popular candidate in Indonesia, according to a poll by the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES). 41 per cent of respondents would support Yudhoyono of the Democrat Party (PD) in the country’s first-ever direct presidential ballot.
Current president Megawati Sukarnoputri of the Struggling Indonesian Democratic Party (PDIP) is second with 11.2 per cent. Former armed forces chief Wiranto of the Party of the Functional Groups (Golkar) garners the support of 10.0 per cent of respondents. Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Hamzah Haz of the United Development Party (PPP) had less than 10 per cent.
Golkar won last April’s parliamentary election, placing 128 lawmakers in the 550-seat House of People’s Representatives. The PDIP was second, with 109 legislators.
The three main candidates have picked running mates for the election. Yudhoyono chose welfare minister Jusuf Kalla, while Sukarnoputri will run alongside Hasyim Muzadi of moderate Muslim group Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Wiranto settled on deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights Solahuddin Wahid as his vice-presidential nominee.
If no candidate gets more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots in the Jul. 5 presidential contest, a run-off will take place on Sept. 20.
Polling Data
What candidate would you vote for in the presidential election?
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (PD) | 41.0% |
Megawati Sukarnoputri (PDIP) | 11.2% |
Wiranto (Golkar) | 10.0% |
Amien Rais (PAN) | 4.4% |
Hamzah Haz (PPP) | 3.0% |
Source: International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES)
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews to 2,000 Indonesian voters, conducted from Apr. 20 to Apr. 27, and from May 1 to May 8, 2004. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
