Megawati-led PDI gets the people's nod<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A recent survey on which party people will vote
\nfor shows that a majority of people have yet to make up their
\nminds.<\/p>\n
However, those who have decided tend to support the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) led by Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
The survey, conducted by the Political Science Lab of the
\nUniversity of Indonesia in association with Soegeng Sarjadi
\nSyndicated, found that nearly 60 percent of the 4,925 respondents
\neither did not know or refused to answer when queried about their
\nchoice of party if an election was to be held now.<\/p>\n
But 40 percent who did reply said they would vote for the
\nMegawati-led PDI.<\/p>\n
Golkar came in a distant second with 12.9 percent, while a
\nfuture party formed by critic Amien Rais came third with 10.8
\npercent.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party remains a feature with 8.5
\npercent while the newly formed People's Awakening Party (PKB)
\nestablished by leading Nadlatul Ulama figures received 1.5
\npercent.<\/p>\n
Of interest is that, according to the survey, the much
\nmaligned Soerjadi camp of the PDI actually received a higher
\npercentage, 0.8 percent, of support from respondents than the
\nIndonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) led by the high profile
\nSri Bintang Pamungkas.<\/p>\n
The poll, results of which were made public here Saturday,
\nrandomly took respondents from Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya,
\nBanda Aceh, Medan, Kupang, Pontianak, Ujungpandang and Denpasar.
\nHowever, 52 percent of the respondents live in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A 10th city, Manado, was also surveyed but the results could
\nnot be processed due to transportation problems.<\/p>\n
The respondents came from a mixture of occupations and
\nbackgrounds with three-fourths aged between 17 and 45.<\/p>\n
Respondents were asked three topical questions -- the party
\nsystem, political inclinations and the future of Golkar.<\/p>\n
On the first topic respondents were asked: how many parties
\nshould contest the election, is the assembling of crowds still
\nnecessary and whether they agreed that religion based parties
\nwere no longer necessary.<\/p>\n
On the first question 58.1 percent chose the highest
\nselection, four to 10 parties, while 31.2 percent said three
\nparties.<\/p>\n
An overwhelming majority, 58.4 percent, also said that
\nassembling crowds were necessary to show support for parties.<\/p>\n
The poll also showed that 70.1 percent felt that religion
\nbased parties were no longer appropriate.<\/p>\n
On the second topic, 52.7 percent said their choice of party
\nwould be based on its programs. The importance of the party
\nleader or ideology received 17.4 and 10.6 percent respectively.<\/p>\n
Another question on this topic was which party they would
\nselect if elections were held today.<\/p>\n
The third topic on Golkar simply asked whether Golkar was
\ncapable of winning the next election.<\/p>\n
The response was a resounding \"No\" from 33.1 percent of
\nrespondents.<\/p>\n
Some 2 percent said it was \"very possible\" while another 18.9
\npercent still believe Golkar \"might\" win.<\/p>\n
Reaction<\/p>\n
In a written summation of its findings, the survey warns of
\npotentially large pockets of nonvoters. It points out that 51.9
\npercent of respondents claim they do not intend to vote in coming
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Other cities with a large number of potential nonvoters are
\nSurabaya (27.1 percent) and Denpasar (8.4 percent).<\/p>\n
Noted Indonesianist Harold Crouch of the National University
\nin Australia, commenting on the results of the poll said it
\nmainly reflected the opinion of the middle class in urban areas.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the People's Awakening Party would likely
\nget a higher response outside urban areas since its base support,
\nNahdlatul Ulama members, reside in rural areas.<\/p>\n
\"I think it would come out different if the poll was in Java's
\nrural areas,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Political scientist Maswadi Rauf of the University of
\nIndonesia, said one interesting result for him was the
\ndisapproval, 70.1 percent, of religion based parties.<\/p>\n
\"It is interesting to see that 52 percent of respondents would
\nchoose their political parties, not based on traditional or
\npolarizing reasons as was the case in the past, but because of
\nits programs,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Soegeng, a former Golkar legislator who switched allegiance to
\nthe Soerjadi-led PDI who sponsored the poll, said it was carried
\nout to examine public reaction to the appearance of new political
\nparties.<\/p>\n
He pledged to conduct another poll with a wider range of
\nrespondents to observe the political climate before the planned
\nspecial session of People's Consultative Assembly in November.<\/p>\n
Last month, the first poll he sponsored was carried out to
\nsurvey people's opinion of Habibie's three-month government. It
\nshowed that Habibie's policies failed to win over the hearts of
\nthe people. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-led-pdi-gets-the-peoples-nod-1447893297",
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