Anita Rachman & Arientha Primanita – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's approval rating has taken a major hit, a recent public opinion survey shows, mainly due to the string of scandals plaguing his Democratic Party.

The Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) released the results of its June 1-7 poll on Sunday, showing the president's rating at 47.2 percent, down from 56.7 percent in January.

Sunarto Ciptoharjono, a senior LSI researcher, said the decline was mainly due to the string of graft scandals under his term, especially the case of former Democrat treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin.

"There are many unresolved cases such as the Bank Century bailout, the murder of rights activist Munir Said Thalib and the corruption cases involving Nazaruddin – a member of Yudhoyono's party," Sunarto said.

"This is critical point for the president," he said. "He should make a move [to boost his popularity] before 2014, or it will affect the Democrats' chances in the elections."

He said the perception that the president had been slow to act on these allegations had hurt his credibility. "The allegations of corruption cases involving Democrat officials have destroyed the president's anticorruption image," the researcher said.

Nazaruddin was fired from his party post and fled to Singapore before he could be questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over a graft-tainted construction deal for the Southeast Asian Games.

He has since accused several other high-ranking members of the ruling party of various acts of corruption.

Yudhoyono's approval rating has declined steadily in a series of surveys published by the LSI since January 2010, when he posted a 60.7 percent rating. This has since dropped to 56.7 percent in January this year.

The president's rating would have been even lower if the survey had been carried out after the execution of an Indonesian maid in Saudi Arabia, Sunarto noted.

The LSI said Yudhoyono needed a "big bang" to boost the Democrats' popularity in time for the next elections, in which he would not be able to run because of term limits on the presidency.

"Otherwise, Yudhoyono will face the same fate as [former President] Megawati Sukarnoputri in 2004, when she no longer had the charisma to help her party [in the vote]," Sunarto said.

He added that public perception of the administration was weak, with Vice President Boediono seen as "not the type of leader who gets things done."

However, Mustafa Abubakar, the state enterprises minister and a Democrat, said on Sunday that the LSI survey did not reflect the head of state's high standing on the international stage. "We should appreciate his achievements that have been acknowledged in the regional and global spheres," Mustafa said.

Ruhut Sitompul, a Democratic legislator, said the survey should be viewed by the faction as an early warning ahead of the 2014 general elections. "This decline in the approval rating should be a lesson for us and an opportunity to introspect," he said. "Now we have three and a half years to consolidate the party base."

But the lawmaker acknowledged that his party was in need of a "cleanup," with members having to face graft allegations. He also said the Democrats had punished errant members. "I have said to Yudhoyono that because of what is happening in the party, we need to clear the air," Ruhut said.