Jakarta – Respondents in an Indonesia Poltracking survey say that they are not interested in presidential or vice presidential candidates from the TNI (Indonesian military), Polri (Indonesian police) or ulama (Islamic leaders).
Only 3.8 percent of respondents said they were interested in candidates from religious groups while only 5.1 percent were interested in candidates with a background in the TNI or Polri.
The background most liked by respondents in the survey was regional heads at 23.3 percent.
This was followed by figures who had a background as ministers at 9 percent, members of the House of Representatives (DPR) or politicians at 8.6 percent, bureaucrats at 8.3 percent and academics at 7.4 percent.
The background which least interested respondents was businesspeople at 2.9 percent. Some 31.6 of respondents did not answer.
Aside from the candidate's background, the survey also found there are a number of characteristics that the public want from presidential and vice presidential candidates.
The most liked characteristic is concern and attention for society at 16.8 percent, followed by honesty and being clear of corruption, which was liked by 16 percent of respondents.
"[Also] experience at 12.7 percent, courageous and firm at 11.6 percent", said Poltracking Indonesia Executive Director Hanta Yuda at the Bidakara Grand Pancoran Hotel in South Jakarta on Thursday June 9.
This was followed by accomplishments at 7.5 percent, intelligence at 6 percent, able to lead at 5.2 percent, attractive appearance at 3.8 percent, close to ulama at 1.3 percent and other at 1.3 percent. There were 17.8 of respondents who did not answer.
Meanwhile, based on a survey by Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO) which was release on June 4, the political figure with the highest popularity is Defense Minister and Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Chairperson Prabowo Subianto. His level of popularity stands at 96.2 percent.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan was in second place with a popularity of 88.1 percent followed by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno with 84.0 percent and Democrat Party General Chairperson Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) with 71.3 percent.
This was followed by DPR Speaker Puan Maharani with 69.3 percent and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo with 61.14 percent. (pop/bmw)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Survei: Publik Kurang Tertarik Capres dari TNI-Polri dan Ulama".]
