The Asian Executives Poll recorded in the Far Eastern Economic Review (5 February 1998) shows that most businesses in the region will have no confidence in an Indonesia under Suharto's continuing leadership.

37.5 per cent answered "very bad" to the question, "Would a seventh term of office for President Suharto be good or bad for Indonesia's economy?" Another 37.5 per cent answered "bad". The goods were down to 18.7 per cent and just 6.3 per cent answered "very good". Polling among Indonesian businessmen was even more negative for Suharto: 83.4 per cent felt that Suharto's re-election would be "bad" or "very bad".

Answers to the question, "Would a change in leadership in Indonesia make you more confidence or less confident of the country's investment climate?" were even more unequivocal. 61.7 per cent over all said they would be "somewhat more confident" and 17.9 per cent answered "a lot more confident". Among South Korean and Australian businessmen, all respondents answered either "more confident" or "a lot more confident".

Another question related to confidence in Megawati, were she to take over in Indonesia. The majority view, 62.2 per cent was that she would not be more adept at dealing with the country's crisis. Confidence in her was the highest in South Korea and the lowest in Indonesia.