JP/4/Survey

JP/4/Survey

New survey
finds SBY
satisfactory

Hera Diani
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Despite criticism of the performance of President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono and his administration, 57 percent of Indonesians are
satisfied with his performance, according to a recent national
survey.

Conducted by the U.S.-based International Foundation for
Election Systems (IFES) from Feb. 7 to Feb. 11, the survey found
that the reasons for the satisfaction were generally noneconomic,
including the administration's efforts to stamp out corruption,
collusion and nepotism (44 percent).

Other reasons cited by respondents for their satisfaction were
improved security (21 percent), better law enforcement (12
percent), handling of natural disasters (10 percent) and
attention to people's needs (9 percent).

The highest level of satisfaction was recorded in Kalimantan
(70 percent), followed by 67 percent in Aceh, Maluku and Papua,
and 66 percent in Sulawesi.

Thirty-five percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction
with Susilo, based mainly on economic concerns such as
unemployment, higher fuel prices and the cost of education.

These responses were line with IFES surveys conducted during
the 2004 elections, which found that voters responded most
favorably to Susilo's leadership and personality, as well as his
stated commitment to fighting corruption.

Respondents in this newest survey gave Susilo high marks for
his battle against corruption.

Susilo's decision to require all Cabinet members and other top
government officials to sign anti-graft pledges was considered by
nearly nine out of 10 respondents as having some effect on
official corruption.

Sixty-seven percent of the 2,020 total respondents in 33
provinces throughout the country also believe Susilo's
administration will be successful in reducing corruption in the
country.

The specific areas of action by Susilo's administration that
respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with include fighting
corruption (73 percent) and terrorism (68 percent), improving
security (78 percent) and health care (70 percent), improving the
quality of education (59 percent) and reducing environmental
degradation (61 percent).

Nearly three-quarters of respondents, however, are unsatisfied
with government efforts to create more jobs and control
inflation, while more than six out of 10 respondents are
dissatisfied with the government's economic development policies.

Regarding the government's performance after the Dec. 26
tsunami, a vast majority of respondents (83 percent) gave the
government good marks for handling the rescue and recovery
process in Aceh.

Those areas respondents want the government to focus on
include health care (67 percent), economic relief (62 percent),
education (54 percent), housing (45 percent), public facilities
and infrastructures (18 percent), security (15 percent) and aid
for refugees (14 percent).

Sixty percent of Indonesians also think that domestic non-
governmental organizations have been very or somewhat effective
in relief efforts in Aceh.