While they had claimed to have shared experiences over “intimidation” against their candidates and supporters, talks between parties backing Ganjar and Anies over potential cooperation for the runoff have faced some complications as some members appeared reluctant to act hastily before they can be sure of who will earn the runoff spot.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which is backing Ganjar and running mate Mahfud MD, said they would continue talks with Anies supporters over ways to prevent February’s presidential race from concluding in a single round.

PDI-P politician Aria Bima claimed both camps were of the same opinion that each would boost its campaigns for its own candidate to combat what they called apparent efforts via public opinion pollsters to alter voter perception that there would be a clear winner in February’s race, which could alter voters’ choices.

"There should be no attempt to sway public opinion [into believing that the upcoming election will conclude in a single round] by preconditioning the surveys as if they were democratic and using the state apparatus [in the attempt to push for a single-round election]," Aria said. “That’s dangerous.”

This led PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto to propose the establishment of an independent committee, consisting of public intellectuals and experts, to conduct a thorough audit of all pollsters that want to publish survey results.

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