Susilo in control, but tougher challenges ahead<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite a number of decisions that many consider burdensome to
\nthe public during his first year in office, President Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono has managed to keep his support intact.<\/p>\n
The latest survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle
\n(LSI) confirmed on Wednesday that Susilo remains popular, albeit
\nto a lesser degree than when catapulted to the presidency last
\nyear. But stiffer challenges lie ahead, especially given that
\nsome of his policies will provide ammunition to opposition
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
Of 1,000 respondents surveyed after the new fuel prices took
\neffect, 52.4 percent expressed support for Susilo, the first
\ndirectly elected president in the country's history. Over 61
\npercent of voters opted for Susilo and his running mate Jusuf
\nKalla in the presidential election runoff in September last year.<\/p>\n
The LSI, which almost precisely predicted Susilo's winning
\nmargin in the presidential election, attributed the decline in
\nsupport to the government's decision to raise fuel prices by an
\naverage of 126 percent earlier this month, the second hike Susilo
\nhas imposed in the first year of his term.<\/p>\n
A series of natural disasters also contributed to his
\ndeclining popularity, the survey said.<\/p>\n
\"Without any significant changes, SBY will continue to lose
\npopularity in line with worsening perceptions of the national
\neconomy,\" LSI executive director Denny J.A. said.<\/p>\n
Denny said that the next three months would be the most
\ndifficult period for Susilo as the full effects of the fuel hikes
\nstarted to bite.<\/p>\n
\"The majority of respondents are of the opinion that the
\neconomy is in a poor state following the fuel price hikes, and
\nthis discontent is quite susceptible to political shifts,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The survey revealed that 51.7 percent of respondents were
\nagainst the fuel price hikes.<\/p>\n
\"It is not impossible for opposition groupings to gain strong
\npolitical support from the grassroots if they exploit the issue
\nin their political campaigns,\" Denny added.<\/p>\n
The LSI recommended that in order to survive the remainder of
\ntheir terms, Susilo and Kalla should change the way they operate
\nand reshuffle the Cabinet to boost the government's capabilities.<\/p>\n
\"The President should make more public appearances, while the
\nVice President stays in the background, as U.S. President George
\nW. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney did in 2000,\" Denny said.<\/p>\n
\"Both Susilo and Kalla have their own styles in running the
\ngovernment. Susilo behaves like an intellectual but is quite slow
\nin making decisions, while Kalla is a deal-maker and innovator,
\nand is courageous and quick in making decisions. The different
\nleadership styles, the duo's less than harmonious relationship,
\nthe issue of incompetent ministers and certain ministers'
\nconflicting interests have contributed to the government's bad
\nimage.\"<\/p>\n
Denny, however, declined to suggest which ministers should be
\nreplaced and who would be suitable to replace them.<\/p>\n
As if to respond to the critics, Susilo said he would focus on
\nthe rolling out of nine years' free education, improvement in
\nhealth services, and the creation of more jobs in the second year
\nof his term.<\/p>\n
\"We must pay attention to 2006 after getting through a
\ndifficult year in 2005,\" Susilo said at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
Susilo promised to fulfill the constitutional imperative
\nrequiring the government to allocate 20 percent of the state
\nbudget to education.<\/p>",
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