People are mostly unsatisfied with the President’s performance during the first year of his second term in office, says a poll.

One thousand people interviewed for a survey on Oct. 1 by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) gave the government’s performance four red marks.

The red marks, which indicate a satisfaction rate of less than 50 percent, were given to the government’s performance in foreign affairs, the economy, law enforcement and politics.

The LSI’s Agustinus Budi Prasetyohadi said that 57.4 percent of respondents were not satisfied with the way the government had handled foreign affairs, highlighting its failure to address recurring border and migrant worker disputes with Malaysia.   

According to the survey, 57.4 percent of respondents were also unhappy with the economy, despite moderately positive macroeconomic indicators, such as economic growth and a strong exchange rate.

“There is a gap between those indicators and the real economic situation felt by people,” Budi said.

He added that the government’s perceived failure to uphold the law stemmed from public disappointment over increasing incidents of religious violence and the alleged framing of Corruption Eradication Commission leaders Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.

“Only 49.5 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with law enforcement due to the scant protection afforded to minority groups.”

In the political arena, Yudhoyono was given a red mark for his inability to prevent politicians from using the Bank Century scandal to undermine his government. Yudhoyono’s management of the scandal was widely perceived as leading to the ouster of former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.   

More positively, 63.2 percent of respondents said the government was successful in maintaining security  and 60.2 percent said the government had improved people’s welfare.  

According to Budi, respondents thought Vice President Boediono and the Cabinet were to blame for Yudhoyono’s failures. Boediono, who was supported by 47.1 percent of respondents, was considered absent in the decision making process for important issues.  

“We posed open questions about the Vice President, and most respondents said they needed a figure who could take the initiative and make decisions quickly. Such a figure is considered able to complement the leadership style of the President,” he said, adding that respondents said former vice president Jusuf Kalla was well-suited to the job.   

Most respondents were disappointed with the President’s ministers, who had a satisfaction rate of 46.5 percent. “The people want ministers who are more competent, persistent in finding solutions to any problems and have a strong leadership,” Budi said.  

The evaluation of the government’s performance should be a wake-up call for the President to enhance his Cabinet’s performance, he said.

“The President should give a more active role to the Vice President, as he did in the previous Cabinet,” he said. (lnd)

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