Jakarta – A recent survey has revealed that Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is the strongest contender for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election.

The results of the survey, conducted by Indo Barometer on behalf of the Golkar Party, could be inconclusive because 54.9 percent of respondents had not decide for whom they would vote.

Indo Barometer executive director M Qodari said surveyors asked two types of questions: close-ended and open-ended.

He said in the open-ended question, respondents were required to answer a question about their choice, without mentioning the name of a candidate, while in the close-ended question, respondents were given the names of potential candidates. "The results are not so different," said Qodori as reported by kompas.com on Thursday.

In the open-ended question, 35 percent of respondents said they would vote for Ahok, 2.5 percent for former justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra and 2 percent for Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, while 54.9 percent of respondents had not made a decision.

For the close ended-question, 47.3 percent of respondents said they would vote for Ahok, 7.1 percent for Yusril, 6.3 percent for Risma, 4.1 percent for businessman Sandiaga Uno and 2 percent for former deputy defense minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

In the closed ended-question, 20.8 percent had not made a decision, while 5.4 percent did not answer the question. The survey was held from July 15 to 21, involved 800 respondents from across the city with a margin of error 3.6 percent and a confidence level of 95 percent. (bbn)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/07/28/ahok-strongest-candidate-survey.html