(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Indonesia prefer Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over other presidential candidates, according to a poll by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI). 43 per cent of respondents would vote for the incumbent head of state in this year’s ballot, up 11 points since September.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Indonesia prefer Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over other presidential candidates, according to a poll by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI). 43 per cent of respondents would vote for the incumbent head of state in this year’s ballot, up 11 points since September.
Former president Megawati Sukarnoputri of the Struggling Indonesian Democratic Party (PDIP) is second with 19 per cent, followed by Prabowo Subianto of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (GIMP) with five per cent, and Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X also with five per cent. Support is lower for Wiranto of the Party of Functional Groups (Golkar), Hidayat Nur Wahid, current vice-president Jusuf Kalla, Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN), and Akbar Tandjung.
Susilo—a security minister who ran as the candidate of the Democrat Party (PD)—won the September 2004 presidential election with 60.62 per cent of the vote in a run-off over incumbent Megawati. The vote marked the first time Indonesian voters picked their head of state through the ballot box. Susilo is running for re-election.
On Jan. 5, Susilo called for voters to remain calm and refrain from violence during the election, as he tried to reassure foreign investors that the ballot will not represent a risk of instability, saying, "Politics can be good, elections can be peaceful, and competition should not be followed by hostility. (…) Democracy can be good and peaceful. It could be business as usual."
Indonesia will hold a legislative election on Apr. 9. The presidential ballot is expected to take place in July.
Polling Data
Who would you vote for in the next presidential election?
|
|
Dec. 2008 |
Sept. 2008 |
Jan. 2008 |
|
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (PD) |
43% |
32% |
34% |
|
Megawati Sukarnoputri (PDIP) |
19% |
24% |
24.2% |
|
Prabowo Subianto (GIMP) |
5% |
5% |
n.a. |
|
Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X |
5% |
4% |
6.6% |
|
Wiranto (Golkar) |
3% |
6% |
4.1% |
|
Hidayat Nur Wahid |
2% |
3% |
n.a |
|
Jusuf Kalla (Golkar) |
2% |
2% |
1.9% |
|
Amien Rais (PAN) |
1% |
3% |
3% |
|
Akbar Tandjung (Golkar) |
1% |
2% |
n.a. |
|
Abdurrahman Wahid |
n.a. |
n.a. |
4.4% |
Source: Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI)
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 2,200 Indonesian adults, conducted from Dec. 10 to Dec. 22, 2008. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
