"The survey agencies serves more as a mouthpiece of political investors that have financed their operation," party spokesman Ikhsan Modjo said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Surveys showed the ruling Democratic Party would suffer a crushing defeat in forthcoming elections, but the party said the results of the surveys could not be used as a reference in gauging the electability of political parties facing the legislative election in April.

The party doubts that the survey firms were entirely independent, party spokesman Ikhsan Modjo said here on Monday.

"The survey agencies serves more as a mouthpiece of political investors that have financed their operation," Ikhsan said.

He cited the Lingkaran Survei Indonesia (LSI) gave a more or less the same prediction in the previous election in 2009 but the fact showed the prediction was entirely wrong as the party led strongly with 20.85 percent of the votes.

Based on the latest surveys by LSI on electability of political parties ahead of the legislative election, the ruling party fell back,lagging far behind leaders, Golkar and PDIP Perjuangan.

The ruling part with only 4.7 percent of the votes even fell behind minority party Gerindra.

The party has suffered badly after a number of its leaders were involved in corruption or graft cases.

Former sports minister Andi Mallarangeng and its former general chairman Anas Urbaningrum were arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on charges of receiving kickbaks.

Former party leader and lawmaker Angelina Sondakh and former party treasurer and lawmaker M. Nazaruddin are now serving jail terms for corruption.

Ikhsan said his party is recovering from the setback and had regained self confidence in facing the forthcoming legislative election.

He said a number of surveys held internally showed that the party has performed better lately although not yet up to "our expectation."

The party cadres are in high spirit to work hard to win the sympathy of the people , he said.

"The party and its cadres would not be discouraged by the results of surveys by LSI and other survey agencies," he said.

In its latest release LSI said the ruling party had continued to lose strength and would likely be out of steam in 2014 election with electability was as low as 4.7 percent at present.

In addition, none of its potential presidential candidates is competitive enough facing other parties candidates.

The highest votes garnered by contestants taking part in the party convention to select its presidential candidate was only 2.5 percent if election was held now, LSI researcher Adjie Alfaraby said here on Sunday.

"Dahlan Iskan had only 2.5 percent, Pramono Edhie Wibowo 2.1 percent, Marzuki Alie 2 percent, and eigth other convention contenstant had less than 2 percent each," Adjie said.

It would be difficult for the party to recover in the next few months as more cadres of the party have been implicated in corruption cases.

KPK recently raided the houses and office rooms of a number of lawmakers from the party implicated in a graft case.

Meanwhile Golkar and PDI Perjuangan have firm position in facing the elections, Adjie said.

"The two parties are consistent in the first and second position. Therefore, the government after the electiosn would likely under Golkar or PDIP," he said.

Golkar was favored by 18.3 percent of the respondents and PDIP by 18.2 percent, with Gerindra 8.7 percent and Demokrat 4.7 percent, Hanura 4 percent, PKB 3.7 percent , PPP 3.6 percent, PAN 3.3 percent, PKS 2.2 percent, Nasdem 2 percent , PBB 0.7 percent and PKPI 0.5 percent.

The survey was held from 6 to 16 January, 2014 with 1,200 respondents in the countrys 33 provinces .(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014