Indonesians may dump Megawati in election
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-07-05 09:42

Voting is under way in Indonesia's first direct presidential election as opinion polls indicate broad dissatisfaction with the incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri.

While the poll is another step forward for Indonesia's young democracy, voter surveys show Megawati trailing her former security minister -- the poetry-writing, guitar-playing ex-general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Former Indonesia strongman and President for 32 years, Suharto, casts his ballot Monday, July 5, 2004, in Jakarta. It is the first time in history that Indonesians vote directly for President. [AP]

"Indonesians feel very let down by Megawati. The image that she was cared for the common people fell apart during her presidency," said Daniel Sparingga, a political analyst from Airlangga University, according to The Associated Press.

"Many just want her replaced by a more approachable leader who can fix the country's problems."

More than 150 million Indonesians have registered to vote and a high turnout is expected.

Five candidates are running for president and polls have Yudhoyono leading with around 40 percent compared to Megawati's 15 percent. A further fifth of the electorate is undecided.

Should Yudhoyono top 50 percent of the vote, no runoff election will be needed.

But a second round is widely expected and would take place in September.That means the next government would assume office a month later.

Though terrorism has not been a big issue in campaigning, a win for Yudhoyono is likely to reinforce the crackdown on terrorism.

Yudhoyono's decisive response to the October 12, 2002 bombings in Bali led to hundreds of arrest and dozens of convictions.

Three Islamic extremists were sentenced to death for their role in the terror attack, which killed more than 200 people.

Analysts say voters are angry Megawati has failed to follow up on her early economic successes and clean up the corruption that plagues daily life in Indonesia.

Also in the election mix is former army chief Wiranto who has promised to get tough on terror, reform the country's legal system and to boost business.

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri casts her vote in Jakarta July 5, 2004. Indonesians began voting in the country's first direct presidential election on Monday. [Reuters]

Wiranto is backed by the Golkar Party, which won parliamentary elections in April. But his human rights record is set to hamper election hopes.

He has been indicted in East Timor for alleged human rights violations in the period surrounding the tiny territory's break from Indonesia in 1999.

The other candidates are Amien Rais who has positioned himself as the only true reformer of the five presidential contenders.

Among his campaign pledges are a crack down on smuggling and corruption, a reduction in the country's dependence on imported goods and more help for small businesses.

The fifth runner is Hamzah Haz who has polled almost no support and campaigned on an Islamist platform with promises to establish houses of worship in all schools and public facilities, encourage media to carry more Islamic news, and increase spending on heath and education.

But the candidate most likely remains Yudhoyono despite him not laying out any specifics about how he would improve living standards and ease unemployment, which exceeds 20 percent.

Still, the soft-spoken 54-year old is widely perceived as a politician with a common touch and the clout to deliver badly needed reforms.

A defeat for Megawati, the fourth civilian president could be the coup de grace to the age of dynastic politics in Indonesia, where simply having "Sukarno" in your name was a certain vote-getter.

But it won't mean a revolution, analysts say, because all the presidential contenders represent the same political, business and military elites who support evolutionary reforms.

This presidential election, coming six years after President Suharto's 32-year dictatorship was overthrown, is the first by universal suffrage.

Previous presidents were elected by lawmakers -- a system widely abused by Suharto.

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