Nation in transition poised for elections
Nation in transition poised for elections
JAKARTA (JP): The following are the results of a survey on
what the people think of the upcoming election, the story of
which appears on Page 1.
POLL FINDINGS
Attitude toward the holding of Survey area
the 1999 general election Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Believe it will take place 61.6 70.6 71.1 59.8 79.0 68.5
Don't believe it will
take place 21.6 18.0 23.1 30.7 14.8 21.4
Don't know 6.7 3.5 6.3 3.6 2.4 4.3
Conditional trust - - 0.3 - - 0.1
Doubtful it will take place 1.1 - 2.7 0.8 1.1 1.3
Uncertain 9.0 5.2 2.4 0.8 2.3 4.4
Reason for believing that Survey area
the 1999 general election Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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will be held as planned
Trust in Habibie's promise 65.9 56.7 53.1 38.7 62.4 57.1
If the election is
postponed, foreign
donations may be blocked 24.7 25.5 38.0 40.0 22.6 29.7
If the election is
postponed, riots will erupt 8.8 6.4 4.2 13.3 5.3 6.8
People are demanding reform 1.6 3.8 4.2 2.7 9.8 4.3
Postponing the election
will create difficulties for
Habibie's government 0.5 10.8 1.4 9.3 1.5 3.9
It is a decree by the
People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) 5.5 2.5 0.5 - 1.5 2.2
Reason for doubting that Survey area
the 1999 general election Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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will be held as planned
It will be intentionally
postponed to
maintain status quo 62.0 82.0 78.1 71.1 68.8 71.8
Habibie's promise cannot 40.5 20.0 21.9 18.4 28.1 27.5
be trusted
Lack of national cohesion 2.5 2.0 - 2.6 3.1 1.8
No good will from the
government - 2.0 1.4 2.6 3.1 1.5
Soeharto's regime is still
in power 1.3 - 1.4 2.6 - 1.1
Public dissatisfaction is
still high 2.5 - - - 0.7
Government officials cannot
be trusted 1.3 - - - 0.4
Factors that may postpone Survey area
the 1999 general election Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Major riots 58.8 54.2 55.2 55.2 44.2 54.2
Pressure on the government
by certain groups 40.8 41.0 33.3 24.0 32.1 35.5
Intentionally postponed
by the government 23.8 19.8 21.5 26.4 24.2 22.7
No national cohesion 2.3 3.3 1.0 2.4 - 1.8
People dissatisfied
with the present government 1.2 0.5 0.7 0.6 2.4 1.0
Laws governing election
are inadequate 0.8 0.9 - - 0.6 0.5
No opinion 0.8 - 0.3 - 0.6 0.4
Opposition parties not ready
to participate in election - - 0.3 - 0.6 0.2
Opinion on Habibie being Survey area
reelected Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Certain people want
Habibie to remain president 48.1 41.6 36.6 37.6 19.8 37.9
Habibie wants to remain
president 31.8 27.8 18.3 23.2 42.0 27.8
Habibie wants to be president
again but is shy about it 13.6 13.9 12.1 28.8 19.8 16.1
Habibie is confused 10.9 16.7 16.2 15.2 11.1 14.1
His stated desire to be
reelected is only for
the sake of foreign powers 12.0 9.6 13.1 5.6 5.6 10.1
Habibie does not want to
remain president 12.0 3.8 6.9 2.4 5.6 6.8
Habibie wants to remain
president only if
the people support him 0.4 3.3 2.1 1.6 1.2 1.7
No opinion 0.8 - 0.3 0.8 - 0.4
Certain people want to
use Habibie as a scapegoat - 0.5 - - - 0.2
Conditional optimism about Survey area
democratic prospects in Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Indonesia
Provided government institu-
tions function well 38.4 42.9 30.9 29.8 27.9 33.9
Provided all sides/groups
give their support 32.9 22.2 30.9 19.1 36.1 28.9
Provided Golkar is no longer
in power/cleansed of the
remains of the New Order 21.9 22.2 13.8 23.4 16.4 18.9
Provided the general election
can be held in an honest and
just manner 9.6 12.7 17.0 19.1 11.5 13.9
Requires a long time 8.2 7.9 16.0 4.3 4.9 9.4
If social conditions return
to normal 5.5 4.8 6.4 4.3 - 4.4
If there is suitable national
leadership 2.7 1.6 1.1 12.6 6.6 4.1
If differences in opinion can
be accepted 2.7 - 2.1 2.1 9.8 3.2
If the Armed Forces (ABRI)
takes a neutral stance 1.4 1.6 3.2 2.1 3.3 2.4
Survey area
Optimism about democratic Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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prospects in Indonesia
It is already getting better/
in the right direction 63.6 41.7 59.5 65.0 47.1 57.5
The democratic process needs
time 4.5 8.3 21.4 15.0 23.5 15.9
The general election is a
good start 18.2 33.3 4.8 15.0 5.9 12.4
The people's political
knowledge is already better - 8.3 9.5 5.0 23.5 8.8
There are many political
parties 4.5 16.7 4.8 5.0 - 5.3
The freedom for democracy
is guaranteed by law 9.1 16.7 4.8 - 5.9 3.5
Pessimism about democratic
prospects in Indonesia Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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There is no clear will of
the government/it is the
same as the New Order 47.4 26.1 22.7 41.7 57.9 39.5
Even the present condition
is chaotic/marked by many
riots 18.4 8.7 50.0 16.7 15.8 20.2
The more parties, the more
confusing 10.5 17.4 31.8 16.7 5.3 15.8
The New Order still reigns 13.2 8.7 9.1 8.3 5.3 10.5
The Habibie government wants
to maintain the status quo 7.9 30.4 - 8.3 - 9.6
The Habibie government is not
able to carry out its duties
well 5.3 13.0 0.5 8.3 10.5 7.0
There is no leader to follow 2.6 4.3 - - - 1.8
The New Order was better 2.6 - 0.7 - 5.3 1.8
The government institutions
do not function well 2.6 - - - 5.3 1.8
What is the present condition Survey area
of democracy in Indonesia? Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Very bad 26.2 25.4 26.9 26.4 38.3 28.2
Bad 44.5 46.4 36.7 36.8 41.4 41.3
Average 22.4 21.5 27.9 25.6 14.2 22.9
Good 5.7 5.7 7.8 10.4 4.9 6.7
Very good 0.4 1.0 0.7 0.8 1.2 0.8
The group that can boost Survey area
democracy in Indonesia Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Students 54.4 49.8 51.0 74.4 48.1 53.9
Political parties 18.0 25.8 24.0 31.2 30.2 24.7
The media 19.0 13.4 14.7 12.0 8.6 15.5
Ulemas/prominent religious 16.9 14.8 16.8 18.4 8.0 14.5
figures
NGOs 14.9 12.0 11.3 8.8 16.0 13.9
The House of Representatives 11.9 13.9 12.7 6.4 18.5 13.2
The President 10.0 12.4 8.9 6.4 5.6 9.0
The bureaucracy 7.3 8.1 9.2 3.2 3.1 7.2
The entire population 3.1 6.7 7.5 - 5.6 5.4
No opinion 0.8 1.4 2.4 - 0.6 0.4
Others 3.5 0.5 0.9 0.8 1.8 0.9
Opinion on democratic Survey area
prospects in Indonesia Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan Total
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Optimistic 12.4 8.4 22.4 27.4 22.7 18.0
Pessimistic 17.4 19.2 24.1 21.0 18.0 20.0
Optimistic under conditions 32.4 37.4 35.6 39.5 45.0 37.5
Confused/uncertain 34.4 35.0 15.9 7.3 10.0 21.7
Resigned 0.8 - 0.7 1.6 1.4 0.8
No opinion 2.7 - 1.0 3.2 2.4 1.7
Average estimate of votes Survey area
obtained at the 1999 general Jkt Yogya Sby Dps Medan
election
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Golkar (functional group) 19.76 15.30 12.04 15.35 21.29
PPP (United Development Party) 21.16 14.06 11.21 13.17 20.34
PKB (People's Awakening Party) 17.53 19.24 26.83 16.86 15.35
PDI (Indonesian Democratic
Party) Perjuangan 33.27 29.73 30.56 33.82 25.99
PAN (National Mandate Party) 24.75 19.62 21.26 19.16 28.12
Partai Keadilan (Justice Party) 10.64 6.90 7.82 5.95 6.95
PRD (Democratic People's Party) 4.72 5.18 6.14 4.36 5.56
Partai Bulan Bintang (Crescent
Star Party) 8.23 7.05 7.44 6.21 9.26
Partai Keadilan & Persatuan 4.98 5.97 5.12 4.08 5.95
(Justice and Unity Party)