IFES pledges to stay neutral

IFES pledges to stay neutral

JAKARTA: In response to criticism aired by the Megawati
Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi ticket over its alleged partiality,
the Washington-based International Foundation for Election System
(IFES) said on Monday it would stay neutral in the runoff
election.

Yanti B. Sugarda, managing director of the IFES' local
partner, the Polling Center, said that the pollster had no
intention of supporting one candidate over another, and the
alleged lopsided results were based on empirical data.

"The IFES found that the majority of people supported Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate Jusuf Kalla. It is a fact
that we tried to reveal without any intention of supporting the
pairing," Yanti said. -- Antara