SBY's economic team 'loses public trust'<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
People are losing confidence in the government's economic team,
\nwho they see as responsible for the current financial crisis --
\nthe worst in this country in over four years, a survey revealed.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, however, remained popular
\namong 1,000 respondents surveyed. The respondents, representing
\nover 60 million eligible voters who chose Susilo in the 2004
\npresidential election, admitted they had high expectations that
\nhe could lead the nation out of its doldrums.<\/p>\n
The survey was conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI)
\nin all 33 provinces several days before the rupiah hit a four-
\nyear low at Rp 11,800 against the U.S. dollar on early Tuesday
\ntrading.<\/p>\n
It revealed that more than 37 percent of respondents were
\ndisappointed with the current economic condition, and only 21
\npercent said it was satisfactory.<\/p>\n
\"The number of respondents who expressed their discontent with
\nthe economic condition would certainly have increased if the
\nsurvey were conducted when this monetary crisis was at its lowest
\nebb (on Tuesday morning),\" LSI researcher Denny J.A. said during
\nthe survey's presentation here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The rupiah has continued to weaken over the past two weeks,
\nbefore bouncing back a bit on Tuesday afternoon after the central
\nbank announced new monetary policies.<\/p>\n
Denny said the respondents' unwillingness to directly blame
\nthe President for the crisis was an interesting phenomenon.<\/p>\n
\"While 43.7 percent of respondents blamed the President's
\neconomic ministers for the bad economic condition, almost 65
\npercent of respondents were satisfied with the way Susilo had
\nbeen leading the nation and his administration. That figure is
\nhigher than the percentage of his voters in the presidential
\nelection,\" said Denny, who was among a group of young scholars
\nwho Susilo consulted with following his election victory last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
More than 52 percent of the respondents were satisfied with
\npolitical and security ministers and 41 percent hailed the
\nperformance of ministers dealing with people's welfare.<\/p>\n
Denny added that the President had been buoyed not so much by
\nhis government's performance, but by his personality.<\/p>\n
The survey said more than 74 percent of respondents believed
\nthat Susilo was honest, 92 percent believed he was clever, 93
\npercent were convinced he had strong leadership skills, 86
\npercent deemed him a good communicator and 75 percent were
\nconfident of his strong commitment to fighting for the people's
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
More than 70 percent of the respondents expressed their
\nsatisfaction with the government's performance in handling
\ncorruption in the bureaucracy, criminal activity, gambling, drug
\nabuse and natural disasters.<\/p>\n
The survey recommended that the government focus on economic
\nissues since almost 62 percent of the respondents said the
\neconomy was the most important factor for the nation's future.<\/p>\n
Mohammad Qodari, another LSI political analyst, called on the
\nPresident to carry on with the strategic measures to regain the
\npublic trust.<\/p>\n
\"Although difficult, SBY has to choose between two realistic
\nalternatives: dismissing his economic ministers or increasing
\nfuel prices,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A change of economic ministers would pit Susilo against the
\nGolkar Party, which Vice President Jusuf Kalla leads, while
\nanother fuel price hike would spark anger among the general
\npublic, Qodari said.<\/p>\n
\"Of the two tough options, replacing the economic ministers
\nlooks better, but perhaps the President could appoint independent
\neconomists, who are recommended by Golkar,\" suggested Qodari.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sbys-economic-team-loses-public-trust-1447893297",
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