Election fatigue has set in in Indonesia. After the Parliamentary polls in April, and now a presidential campaign, most Indonesians are keen to put electioneering and elections behind them. But even after 150-million voters cast their ballots next Monday, they face the prospect of having to do it all again in September.

Presenter/Interviewer: Karon Snowdon

Speakers: Sabam Siagian, editor-at-large for the Jakarta Post and Former Indonesian Ambassador to Australia; Poempida Hidayatulloh, Chair of the political Youth wing of Golkar

Snowdon: Retired General Wiranto could be losing his grip on second place. And that's despite being the Golkar Party candidate – whose formidable machine helped keep Suharto in power for three decades. But not all in Golkar are behind their candidate – and it's questionable whether the blessing of former President Abdurrahman Wahid, who's brother is Wiranto's Vice Presidential running mate, will pull in as many votes as it once might have.

Epitomising the disaffection in Golkar is Poempida Hidayatulloh, who prefers Amien Rais, former Parliamentary Speaker who is still running fourth but closing the gap to have a real chance of taking second place. Poempida is not only the Chair of the political Youth wing of Golkar, several of his family hold powerful positions in the party. His independent stand is a potent sign of how voters are not following the old party or family directives.

Poempida: Actually, with all due respect to Mr Wiranto, unfortunately I'm not a fan of his. In Golkar actually I notice that especially in the youth, actually some people really adore SBY. But more knowledgeable people and more people who put a lot of criticism, they like Amien Rais also. So I think between SBY and Amien Rais becomes one of the favourite candidates.

Snowdon: There may be a split between the older and younger voters, but Wiranto's unexpected selection as the Party's candidate surprised many, and left little time to find common ground Poempida Hidayatulloh confirms that Wiranto hasn't meshed well with the Golkar organisation, who's members complain those close to him aren't distributing promised funds for election programs.

Poempida: Well to be honest, I'm a little bit pessimistic about it. Because it's a pity that Mr Wiranto is not using the full potential of Golkar parties.

Snowdon: So you're saying it's his fault not the split within the party itself.

Poempida: I'm not sure whose fault..it could be his team's fault also. But it could be his fault. It could be his team's fault. And I think that there are differences that couldn't be fixed just with a couple of months' time.

Snowdon: With a rating of more than 40 percent in opinion polls, totalling more than his three main rivals put together, Yudhoyono, or SBY, is sure to be taking to the hustings again in September, unless he attracts more than 50 percent of votes on Monday and heads straight to the Palace.

So would voters be happy if a winner is announced after July the 5th? You bet – if election fatigue, European soccer distractions and the tight controls imposed by the election commission nervous of violence are anything to go by.

But according to Sabam Siagian, editor-at-large for the English-language newspaper, the Jakarta Post and former Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, a second round is preferable to an outright win on the day. He believes the developing Indonesian democracy needs more time to digest its first direct election, and predicts trouble if a winner is declared from the July the 5th poll.

Siagian: Certainly there would be complaints of irregularities, and law cases would be submitted to the Constitutional Court and all that. And Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would most probably face problems in forming a new government. And perhaps disturbances, perhaps from Megawati people.

Snowdon: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono himself has said just the opposite, that if he doesn't win outright on July the 5th, there's a good chance of disturbances, perhaps violence in the lead up to a September run-off. Would you agree that's a possibility?

Siagian: It depends who is his opponent. If and when it's another general, General Wiranto, then as a colleague would say, it would most probably be a battle of OK Corral – of two generals facing each other.