Bernadus Wijayaka and Adriel Arismunandar, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's electability remains high compared with other potential candidates contesting next year's presidential election, according to the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, or LIPI.
Jokowi's electability stands at 58.2 percent, while that of his most likely opponent, Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairman Prabowo Subianto, is 26.6 percent.
"The public is pleased with Jokowi's performance so far; a high electability can be expected. This indicates a safe victory for him, as long as there are only two candidates running in the 2019 presidential election," Syamsuddin Harris, senior researcher at LIPI, said in statement on Friday (20/07).
Indonesia saw a significant influx of investment in the tourism sector, which increased to $929 million in the first half of 2017, compared with $600 million in the same period four years ago. The country has also seen the creation of 3.4 million additional employment opportunities last year.
"Jokowi's achievements across all sectors are indeed great. However, his electability would stumble slightly if this presidential election features three candidate pairs. A 58 percent electability is not quite safe yet, due to the possibility of a split in support," Syamsuddin warned.
He added that the possibility of having either two or three candidate pairs in next year's election creates great uncertainty, considering that the Democratic Party has expressed a desire to put forward Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, eldest son of party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as a presidential candidate.
"SBY's position here can alter the map we've drawn, as Agus Harimurti is being conspicuously and continuously pushed as a candidate," Syamsuddin said, referring to the former president by his initials.
Jokowi's candidacy has so far been endorsed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar Party, United Development Party (PPP), People's Conscience Party (Hanura), National Democratic Party (NasDem), Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) and United Indonesia Party (Perindo), which is enough to meet the legal requirement of a candidate having to have the backing of a minimum 20 percent of seats in the House of Representatives.While no political party besides Gerindra has so far announced support to Prabowo, the retired Army general met with four prominent political figures last week to discuss his potential running mate in the election.
Registration of presidential candidates and their running mates will take place on Aug.4-10.
Source: http://jakartaglobe.id/news/jokowis-electability-remains-high-amid-voter-satisfaction-lipi/