Indo Baromater said the survey followed growing calls on Islamic parties...
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa leads other potential presidential candidates from Islamic parties, a survey said.

Hatta is the general chairman of the moderate Islamic National Mandate Party (PAN), which joins the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party in a coalition government.

Around 11 percent of respondents, included in the survey by Indo Barometer, favored Hatta, followed by Yusril Ihza Mahendra of the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) with 6.6 percent and Muhaimin Iskandar of the Nation Awakening Party (PKB) 5.3 percent.

Two other party leaders Suryadharma Ali of the United Development Party (PPP) and M Anis Matta of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) were each favored only by 0.7 percent of the respondents.

Around 45.5 percent of the respondents said they have not decided and 22.5 percent did not answer.

Indo Baromater said the survey followed growing calls on Islamic parties to form a coalition to present a presidential and vice presidential candidates in the forthcoming elections.

The country will hold legislative elections in April next year to be followed with the presidential elections later.

Bigger and nationalistic parties like Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Gerindra and the ruling party are expected each to have their own candidates.

The past elections in this worlds largest Muslim nation have always been won by non-Islamic parties.

Combination of the Islam-based parties could garnered 20 to 25 percent of the votes in the legislative elections meeting the requirement to present a presidential and vice presidential candidates.

A party could contest the presidential election only if it won at least 20 percent of the parliamentary seats or it has to seek additional votes through coalition.

The survey, which was held from Dec 4 to 15 this year, was to see the electability of the leaders of the Islamic parties in facing the forthcoming elections, the survey agency said.
(Uu.H-ASG/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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