Candidates have their weaknesses and strenghts
JAKARTA (JP): Four informal leaders have emerged as the strongest candidates to become Indonesia's next president, not only according to a poll commissioned by The Jakarta Post, but also confirmed by other surveys.
The four -- Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Amien Rais and Sultan Hamengkubuwono X -- were also brought together by student leaders last month to the residence of Abdurrahman Wahid in Ciganjur district in South Jakarta to come up with a joint statement regarding their view of the state of the nation.
The poll asks 1,250 respondents to list the advantages and shortcomings of the four figures.
Abdurrahman Wahid
Weaknesses:
Poor health 69.5
Lack of principles 17.5
Talks to much, achieves little 3.0
Represents narrow interrests 2.3
Too radical 2.1
Too ambitious 1.7
Inexperienced in politics 1.5
Strengths:
Has widesprad support 32.1
Charismatic and wise 17.6
Intelligent 16.5
Champions reform 10.3
Fights for the people 7.3
Unassuming and popular 6.7
Clean, honest and consistent 5.7
Amien Rais
Weaknesses:
Too ambitious 45.4
Lack of principles 13.4
Too radical 11.8
Talks too much, achieves little 11.4
Represents narrow interest 5.9
Has no widespread support 4.2
Inexperienced in politics 4.1
Strengths:
Intelligent 32.1
Champions reform 30.6
Has widespread support 14.2
Charismatic and wise 7.7
Clean, honest and consistent 6.5
Fights for the people 4.2
A good orator 4.0
Megawati Soekarnoputri
Weaknesses:
Inexperienced in politics 32.7
Gender 19.4
Lack of principles 12.6
Talks to much, achieves little 8.0
Too quiet 6.3
Too ambitious 3.8
No vision, lack of intelligence 3.8
Strengths:
Has widesprad support 28.1
Charismatic and wise 23.1
Unassuming and popular 17.0
Daughter of a former president 8.8
Champions reform 6.4
Intelligent 5.8
Clean, honest and consistent 4.0
Hamengkubuwono X
Weaknesses:
Too provincial 42.1
Not popular 18.7
Politically inexperienced 14.7
No widespread support 7.0
Lack of principles 7.0
Too quiet 4.0
Strengths:
Simple and popular 38.0
Charismatic and wise 32.4
Clean, honest and consistent 7.8
Fights for the people 6.9
Intelligent 6.7
Leadership quality 6.2