NGOs conducting public opinion and exit polls have established an association that obliges members to reveal their sponsors and donors in an effort to fight their tainted image ahead of the upcoming elections.   

The Center for Indonesia Regional and Urban Studies (Cirus) executive director Adrinof Chaniago was elected chairman of the association.

The number of poll surveyors has increased dramatically since the first ever direct elections in 2004, but recently they have faced accusations from observers and politicians for being “biased” toward certain political parties.

“The association members have agreed to certain points for their code of ethics, including the obligation to publicly announce the sponsors who pay for their surveys,” Andrinof told The Jakarta Post on Monday. This requirement would be crucial for ensuring the independence of election surveyors.

“We don’t want our surveys to damage the public’s right to information,” he said.

Shortly after its launch Sunday, the association set up a disciplinary council.

The council members are Saiful Mujani of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), M. Husain from the Institute of Research, Education and Information of Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES), Hari Wijayanto, head of the statistic division at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture and Hamdi Muluk and Deddy Nur Hidayat from the University of Indonesia.

“The council is still deliberating a code of ethics, the first step toward improving their public image and performance,” said Adrinof, also a political expert from the University of Indonesia.

Currently, the Association of Indonesian Public Opinion Research, chaired by Denny JA, acts as the body which represents surveyors and poll operators. This organization did not join the new association.

The 2008 election law bans poll operators from revealing the outcome of their exit polls on the voting day.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) issued a regulation requiring surveyors and pollsters to register with the elections body before conducting public opinion or exit polls.

The regulation also obliges them to register their research survey procedures and funding sources.

Andrinof demanded the KPU drop the regulation, arguing it was not in line with the election law which only restricted surveyors from announcing their vote count results during the voting period.

“With this regulation in hand, the life and death of surveyors now rests with the KPU, adding to their power and arrogance,” he said.

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