First time voters seek change to status quo
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A recent survey reveals that although many respondents trust the current presidential candidates, most of them prefer other candidates to lead the nation for the next five years.
Of the 2,000 respondents, 73 percent prefer someone other than the current list of candidates to lead the country while 27 percent accept political parties' presidential candidates or politicians who have announced they would run for the presidency. according to the survey by the Student Polling Center.
The above candidates include the incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri, Akbar Tandjung, Gen. (ret) Wiranto, Hamzah Haz, Amien Rais, Nurcholish Madjid and Soeharto's daughter, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is the most preferred candidate, with 28 percent of respondents naming him.
Susilo is followed by rights activist Salahuddin Wahid (14 percent), chairman of Muhammadiyah Ahmad Syafii Maarif (10 percent), lecturer and daughter of the first vice president, Meuthia Farida Hatta (9 percent), chairman of the largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, Hasyim Muzadi (8 percent) and former minister Siswono Yudhohusodo (7 percent).
Former president B.J. Habibie is also among the "alternative figures," with 5 percent.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Muslim preacher Abdullah Gymnastiar got 5 percent and 4 percent respectively.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Hidayat Nurwahid who topped the list in some surveys via short messaging services (SMS) on cellular phones only got 3 percent.
Polling coordinator Saifuddin Anshori said 2,000 students participated from eight cities throughout the country.
Saifuddin said that his institution targeted students because this year would be their first chance to vote.
"Many surveys have been made but the organizers often neglect the rookie voters. We want to know their preferences," he said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
The survey conducted in December targeted students in Manado (North Sulawesi), Bandung (West Java), Yogyakarta, Surabaya (East Java), Medan (North Sumatra), Pontianak (West Kalimantan), Ambon (Maluku) and Jakarta.
The organizers distributed questionnaires and met face to face with the students.
The survey also reveals that the students are really looking forward to the direct presidential elections -- the first to be held in Indonesia.
Most respondents (41 percent) said they would cast their vote for the presidential elections. Nineteen percent said they were most interested to cast ballot for the regency legislative council, 17 percent for House of Representatives (DPR), 12 percent for the provincial legislative council, and 11 percent for Regional Representatives Council (DPD).