Economic grievances have dented the popularity of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, which had bounced back late last year from a slump in mid 2006, a survey showed on Tuesday.
In a poll conducted earlier this month, under 50 percent of over 1,200 respondents across the world's fourth most populous country said they were satisfied with Yudhoyono's performance, the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) found. That was down from 67 percent at the end of last year and Yudhoyono's lowest rating ever in LSI's monthly polls since he took power in October 2004.
In mid 2006 most polls showed Yudhoyono's popularity down, one putting it as low as 38 percent. LSI's polling at the time showed it dipping to 55 percent before surging toward year end.
The mid-2006 slump was partly caused by a decision to hike fuel prices in October 2005 and other economic grievances that mostly centred on Yudhoyono policies affecting the poor.
LSI said the source of the latest slump was "the resurgence of public negative judgment on the national economic condition".
The survey data showed negative public perceptions of several Yudhoyono economic policies, mostly linked to foreign investment.
Some critics have attacked Yudhoyono, an ex-general who spent time training at U.S. army bases during his military career and speaks relatively fluent English, for leaning towards the West.
Respondents were overwhelmingly against the sale of state enterprises, a policy supported by the Yudhoyono administration in theory, although in practice one where it has moved slowly.
About 77 percent said they opposed such sales, which have seen some leading companies and banks go to foreigners.
"The public aspiration generally leans to views that the state should have its own companies for the welfare of the people and opposes government acts of privatising state firms," it said.
Over 49 percent say foreign mining companies do not benefit the country while 40.6 percent argue their presence is justified as long as Indonesia is short of funds and technology.
Indonesia's biggest single taxpayer is the Papua gold and copper mining operation controlled by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc., while Australian, Malaysian and Canadian miners are among other active foreign players.
The only economic area in which nationalistic, anti-liberalization opinion did not dominate was allowing imported rice to enter Indonesia.
Nearly 50 percent said the policy was justified to lower prices, while 42 percent disagreed because it would hurt Indonesian farmers.
With a backdrop of these economic grievances, LSI asked respondents which party they favoured, and found the party with the most support was the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle with 20 percent. More than 30 percent were undecided. (With additional reporting by Mita Valina Liem)
bron: www.javno.com
