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Meeting with FPI harmed Anies: Survey

Jakarta Post - January 17, 2017

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Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Meeting the leader of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, and his supporters, has backfired against Jakarta gubernatorial contender Anies Baswedan as it alienated many potential voters, a survey says.

The survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) on Jan. 5-11, found that the recent meeting at FPI headquarters in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, contributed to a decline of over 3 percent in one month in support for Anies and his running mate Sandiaga Uno, from 23.6 percent in December last year to 20 percent this month.

LSI researcher Ardian Sopa explained that Anies' meeting with Rizieq earlier this month apparently disappointed his supporters who are mostly educated Jakartans and tolerant Moslems.

"Habib [Rizieq] is popular among lower-income voters, but is not among those of the middle class, who make up Anies' support base," Ardian told the press on Tuesday. "The meeting with Habib [Rizieq] turns to have been an electoral blunder for the Anies-Sandiaga pair".

Besides the meeting, other reasons that contributed to the decline in support include a lack of significant and distinctive programs that Anies-Sandiaga propose for Jakarta as well as the pair's inability to attract a broad base of support.

The LSI survey has also found that Anies and Sandiaga would be eliminated from the race if an election took place today, leaving the Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni ticket contesting a second round against the incumbent Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Syaiful Hidayat pair.(jun)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/01/17/meeting-with-fpi-harmed-anies-survey.html.