Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A midtern survey on Indonesian voters' political preferences has signaled the possible return to center stage of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
The survey was conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) and marked the first half of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's term in office. It was on par with increasing public disappointment over the performance of the government and its supporting political parties.
Survey respondents were asked to give their political preferences as if they were voting in the legislative elections, which are to be contended by 24 political parties.
It revealed that 22.6 percent of the 1,200 respondents would vote for PDI-P, 16.5 percent for the Golkar Party and 16.3 percent for the Democrat Party (PD).
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) secured only 5.6 percent of votes, while the National Awakening Party (PKB) had 4.7 percent, the United Development Party (PPP) 3.6 percent and the National Mandate Party (PAN) 3.4 percent.
Indonesian Survey Circle executive director Denny J.A. said the survey results signaled changes in the public's political preferences and in their perception of the government.
He said PDI-P's popularity is evident in all cross-sections of society. "The party is dominant in rural (24.9 percent) and urban (19.1 percent) areas, among women (21.2 percent) and men (23.9 percent), among Muslim (20.6 Percent) and non-Muslim (35 percent) voters, and on Java (23.3 percent) as well as on other islands (21.5 percent)," he said.
The survey also showed, however, that 24.6 percent of respondents did not prefer any one of the 24 contending political parties over another.
Golkar emerged the winner in the 2004 legislative election, outperforming PDI-P, which gained a major victory in the 1999 election.
When asked whether the results of the survey could be interpreted as signaling a PDI-P comeback, Denny said the resurgence was linked with growing public dissatisfaction over the nation's poor economic condition, and with the PDI-P's consistency in maintaining its party line.
"The number of respondents who said the economy is worsening (54.3 percent) was three times greater than those saying the economy is recovering (16.7 percent). Meanwhile, the opposition line, which has remained critical of the government, has benefited the party," he said.
The establishment last year of a Muslim organization as a political wing of PDI-P also helped repair the party's image, he added.
The survey revealed that the majority of Indonesians were happy with the country's three largest political parties, which were nationalistic and non-Islamic in nature.
J. Kristiadi, a political analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said the significant percentage of respondents with no political preference showed that many people have tired of the current government and the country's respective political parties.
"It also reflects the people's apathy, because they are struggling to survive through the economic difficulties and deal with recurring natural disasters and transportation accidents," he said.
Kristiadi said the PDI-P's dominant performance in the survey also reflected the Indonesian people's ignorance of the party's poor performance when Megawati Soekarnoputri was president in 2000-2004.
"Unfortunately, the frustrated people have forgotten Megawati's incapability in coping with major national problems, including poverty and unemployment," he said.