Support for Megawati drops: Survey<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
People's support for President Megawati Soekarnoputri has
\ncontinued to drop ahead of the elections but she remains the
\nstrongest candidate among existing presidential aspirants, a
\nsurvey indicates.<\/p>\n
The latest survey by Marketing Research Indonesia (MRI) showed
\nthat support for Megawati had slumped to 16 percent in September
\n2003, down from 23 percent in July 2003, 26 percent in 2002, and
\n49 percent in 2001.<\/p>\n
Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) also saw a continuous decline in support. The survey
\nindicated that support for PDI Perjuangan fell to 17 percent in
\nSeptember, compared to 23 percent in July.<\/p>\n
The survey was conducted in September through direct
\ninterviews involving 1,457 male and female respondents aged 17
\nand above in six cities -- Jakarta, Bandung in West Java,
\nSemarang in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java, Medan in North
\nSumatra, and Makassar in South Sulawesi, with a margin for error
\nof around 3 percent.<\/p>\n
\"Clearly this is a warning for Megawati and her party if she
\nwants to become president in the next period,\" Harry Puspito of
\nMRI said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He predicted that both PDI Perjuangan and Megawati would lose
\neven more popularity if the government continued to impose
\nunpopular policies, such as their treatment of the poor in the
\ncapital, their obvious disrespect for the media, and their
\nfailure to succeed in the country's anticorruption drive.<\/p>\n
\"If they continue to impose policies that do not place the
\ninterests of the common people as a priority and they do not have
\nthe goodwill to create good relations with the media, both
\nMegawati and PDI Perjuangan can expect fewer voters in the
\nupcoming elections,\" Harry added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is scheduled to hold a legislative election in April
\n2004 and its first-ever direct presidential election in July
\n2004.<\/p>\n
Despite shrinking political support, Megawati remains the
\nstrongest presidential candidate compared to other aspirants.
\nAmien Rais of the National Mandate Party, for example, got only a
\n10 percent vote of the people polled in September, Coordinating
\nMinister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono 4 percent, Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril
\nIhza Mahendra 2 percent, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung 2
\npercent, and former president Abdurrahman Wahid 2 percent.<\/p>\n
The survey also showed more respondents voting for Golkar, the
\npolitical vehicle of former dictator Soeharto.<\/p>\n
In a survey held in June and July, 10 percent of respondents
\nopted for the former ruling party. However, the figure increased
\nto 14 percent in September.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar has done very well in its consolidation. If its
\nchairman did not face any problems, the New Order party may come
\nback (to lead the country),\" Harry said, referring to Akbar
\nTandjung, who has been sentenced to prison for a graft case. He
\nremains free pending an appeal with the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
Akbar attracted only 2 percent of respondents in both the
\nJune\/July and September surveys.<\/p>\n
According to the surveys, the National Mandate Party (PAN) may
\nhave good prospects in the 2004 elections. The number of voters
\nincreased from 6 percent in June and July to 10 percent in
\nSeptember.<\/p>\n
\"The party's aggressive promotional tours across the country
\nhave yielded significant results,\" Harry commented.<\/p>\n
However, Amien Rais, who is also the speaker of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly, only gained a 1 percent increase
\nin popularity among respondents from 9 percent in the June and
\nJuly survey to 10 percent in September.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP) recorded a decrease from 9
\npercent in June and July to 7 percent in September, while the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) recorded a slight increase from 3
\npercent to 4 percent.<\/p>\n
However, the Star Crescent Party (PBB) was chosen by three
\npercent of respondents in September, while in June and July it
\nwas voted for by only 1 percent of respondents.<\/p>\n
Other presidential hopefuls, such as Susilo, Yusril, and
\nYogyakarta Governor Hamengkubuwono X gained a slight increase.
\nYudhoyono was favored by 4 percent respondents from an earlier 3
\npercent, Yusril from 2 percent to 3 percent and Hamengkubuwono
\nfrom 2 percent to 3 percent.<\/p>\n
PPP chairman Hamzah Haz, who is also the party presidential
\nhopeful, lost 2 percent of voters from an earlier 4 percent while
\nAbdurrahman \"Gus Dur\" Wahid dropped to 2 percent from 3 percent.<\/p>\n
The surveys also revealed that Pancasila was favored by most
\nrespondents as a state ideology, from 86 percent in the June and
\nJuly survey to 92 percent in the September survey.<\/p>\n
The number of respondents, who opted not to vote, increased
\nfrom 11 percent to 15 percent.<\/p>",
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