Polls give B.J. Habibie the thumbs down

Polls give B.J. Habibie the thumbs down

JAKARTA (JP): If the results of four recent polls are of any
indication of people's view of President B.J. Habibie's three-
month-old presidency, the conclusion so far is that Indonesians
have not fully accepted him as the country's chief executive.

The polls were held by different institutions: Kontan business
weekly in cooperation with the Research Productivity Center
(RPC); the research and development department of Megawati
Soekarnoputri's wing of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI);
the University of Indonesia in cooperation with Soegeng Sarjadi
Syndicated; and private television station Rajawali Citra
Televisi Indonesia (RCTI).

Some of the poll respondents argued Habibie should be given
time and that many of his policies were acceptable. Those who
disapproved of the president believed he had been tainted from
collusive, corrupt or nepotistic practices -- all key public
complaints leading to the fall of former president Soeharto in
May.

Some polled pointed to Habibie's failure to endorse clear-cut
economic and political measures to bring the country out of its
economic crisis.

When asked to name an alternative leader, most named either
Megawati Soekarnoputri or Amien Rais, chairman of the newly
established National Mandate Party (PAN).

The following are excerpts from the poll results:

* Kontan and RPC: Published in Kontan's Aug. 28 edition, the
poll resulted in 82.5 percent of 500 respondents living in
Jakarta and Bandung saying that Habibie's administration had "not
done its job" so far. Many of the respondents gave more than one
reason for the low marks.

Ninety-eight reasoned that Habibie had failed to restore
political stability. Of the 240 giving economic reasons behind
their displeasure with the government, almost all of them
complained of soaring prices and high unemployment.

But 71, or 14.3 percent, said the country should "give him a
chance".

When asked to name their most preferred leader, 34.8 percent
of the respondents picked Megawati. Amien garnered 17.9 percent,
while Habibie was named by 9.4 percent. Ninety-eight, or 19.7
percent, refused to pick any of the names listed as options,
which included Yogyakarta's traditional monarch Sri Sultan
Hamengkubuwono X.

Many who chose Megawati said they did so with some
reservations, though 57 percent believed she had wisdom, charisma
and a broad perspective when provided with criteria on what made
a good leader.

The poll's respondents, aged between 19 and 60, were mostly
private employees (46.8 percent), followed by civil servants
(14.6 percent). Others were students, housewives, retired
officers and private entrepreneurs. Six percent were unemployed.

* The research and development department of Megawati's PDI:
This poll simply raised one question: "Who would you most prefer
as the country's president?" The question also gave five
criteria, including "much loved by the public". The questionnaire
was published as an advertisement in eight newspapers, including
Kompas.

Of the 21,582 people who responded, 15,046 or 69.7 percent
named Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Amien Rais was ranked second, being named by 2,709, or 12.5
percent, of the respondents. Former vice president Gen. (ret) Try
Sutrisno came in third with 1,503 respondents, while government
critic Emil Salim was fourth with 545. President Habibie was
fifth with 363 respondents.

* The University of Indonesia and Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicated:
This poll by the university's Political Science Laboratory of its
School of Political and Social Sciences was held from July 13 to
July 16. It collected responses from 1,000 people in Greater
Jakarta area by telephone.

Although most gave a thumb down to Habibie's performance so
far, almost half, or 46.2 percent, of the respondents found his
policies "acceptable".

Of those who rejected his leadership, 48 percent said it was
due to "collusion, corruption and nepotism like Soeharto's."

Habibie's previous record and his policies favoring costly
technology projects while serving as state minister of research
and technology for two decades turned out to stick in people's
minds as another contributing factor in their rejection of him.

Amien Rais was chosen as the most preferred presidential
candidate by 12.8 percent of the respondents. Megawati came in
second with 11.3 percent. Habibie, picked by 8.2 percent, still
won over Try Sutrisno (5.2 percent) and Emil Salim (3 percent).

The poll raised three basic topics: Habibie's leadership, the
most suitable presidential candidate and the flight of Chinese-
Indonesians in the wake of the May riots.

Respondents were equally divided in gender, with about three-
quarters of them aged between 17 and 45. Their widely ranging
backgrounds ranged from entrepreneurs, employees and civil
servants to housewives and students. Almost 90 percent claimed to
be indigenous Indonesians.

* RCTI: The poll, conducted over the telephone, asked: "Who is
the most capable of uniting the country?" Viewers were given from
Aug. 10 to Aug. 17 to respond, with results announced each day.

The results have yet to be published outside of the station's
daily announcements.

The poll on Aug. 17 gained the largest number of respondents,
with 35.8 percent of the 7,523 people calling in naming Megawati.

Amien came in second with 31.4 percent naming him, while
Habibie was third (11.3 percent) and Armed Forces Commander Gen.
Wiranto fourth (7.7 percent). Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the
Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization and popularly known as Gus
Dur, came fifth with 3.5 percent.

When asked whether people were optimistic about Habibie so
far, 34 percent said they were upbeat, while 61 percent said they
were pessimistic. Five percent did not answer the question.

RCTI conducted the poll as part of its ninth anniversary
celebration on Aug. 18. (ste/aly)