Megawati camp demands clampdown on pollsters

Megawati camp demands clampdown on pollsters

JAKARTA: The Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi camp called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Sunday to closely monitor the activities of Washington-based International Foundation for Election System (IFES) and other independent pollsters.

The Megawati-Hasyim campaign team made the demand after scores of independent pollsters published surveys predicting that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his running mate Jusuf Kalla would win the Sept. 20 runoff.

"The pollsters are biased in favor of the Susilo-Kalla pair and always underestimate our candidates," Heri Akhmadi of the Megawati-Hasyim team said.

However, Megawati's team would not take legal action against the pollsters, he said. -- JP