Indonesians like Americans, spurn U.S.

Indonesians like Americans, spurn U.S.

Agencies, Washington

The majority of Indonesians have a negative view of the United States, but they like Americans and globalization, the 2003 Global Attitudes Survey reveals.

According to the survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, less that 15 percent of Indonesians have positive views of the United States, compared with 83 percent who feel unfavorably toward the country.

Last summer, over 60 percent of Indonesians expressed favorable opinions of the United States.

Indonesians have a much more favorable view of Americans than they do of America. Most, 56 percent, say they feel at least somewhat favorably toward Americans.

Most Indonesians with a negative view of the United States blame their feelings on U.S. President George W. Bush (69 percent), rather than a general problem with America (20 percent).

Eight percent of Indonesians have some confidence in Bush's ability to handle world affairs, compared with 90 percent who say they have little or no confidence in Bush.

By more than three-to-one (72 percent to 23 percent), Indonesians oppose the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

A declining number of Indonesians feel Western-style democracy can work in their country. Last summer, 64 percent felt Western- style democracy could work in Indonesia; just 41 percent say that in the postwar survey.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country and most Indonesian Muslims are satisfied with what they see as a high level of Islamic influence in politics: 86 percent say Islam plays a very or fairly large role in the political life of their country, and 82 percent think it should play a substantial role.

Fewer than half of Indonesian Muslims surveyed rate honest two-party elections and freedom of the press as very important, though most view these freedoms as somewhat important.

When asked about the preferred model of leadership, 65 percent of Indonesians favor democratic government compared with 32 percent who favor a strong leader.

Indonesians are upbeat about growing foreign trade and faster communications. Nearly 80 percent say globalization has had a positive effect on the country; 85 percent say they like the pace of modern life, among the highest percentages in the 44 nations surveyed.

Unlike people in most other nations, people in Indonesia do not see commercialism as threat to their culture; 58 percent say commercialism and consumerism are no threat to culture.

87 percent hold individuals responsible for their failures, compared with 11 percent who blame society.

The Pew Research Center, chaired by former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright, interviewed 1,017 Indonesian adults between July 20 and Aug. 7, 2002 in predominantly urban areas in seven provinces: Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, North Sumatra, South Sumatra and South Sulawesi.

The margin of error for questions answered by the entire sample is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The follow-up survey interviewed 1,011 adults from May 1 to May 10, 2003 in predominantly urban areas.