Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – A recent poll by Indikator Politik Indonesia found that nearly 60 percent of respondents believe that there was no government interference in the Feb. 14 presidential and legislative elections.
However, the research firm expressed concern about the 34.8 percent of respondents who held the contrary opinion.
"We posed a question to respondents about their belief in whether the 2024 general elections were free from interference by those in power. We found that 59.8 percent of respondents believe so, compared to 34.8 percent of non-believers," Indikator Politik researcher Hendro Prasetyo said on Wednesday.
Hendro said the substantial number of people suspecting government interference reflects growing distrust among voters, an issue that needs to be addressed by the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Election Oversight Body (Bawaslu).
"The KPU, Bawaslu, and the government need to respond to this public distrust concerning election interference," urged Hendro.
The same survey also revealed that 82 percent of respondents were "satisfied with how the elections are managed," added Hendro.
The survey was conducted from February 18 to 21 and involved 1,227 respondents, with a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.
The elections featured three presidential candidates, 18 political parties vying for parliamentary seats at national, provincial, and district levels, and hundreds of senate candidates.
Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who appointed President Joko Widodo's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as a running mate, is projected to win the presidency by 58 percent of the vote.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) looks set to retain its position as the biggest party, although its share of the House of Representatives seats is expected to fall by 4 points.