Anies a tougher competitor for Ahok

JAKARTA. A survey by Public Opinion and Policy Research (Populi Center) shows that in a head-to-head scenario, Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno would be tougher competitors for Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Saiful Hidayat in the 2017 gubernatorial election.

Populi Center researcher Nona Evita said in a head-to-head simulation, the popularity of Ahok-Djarot stood at 48.5 percent while Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni trailed with 31.8 percent. The undecided vote share is 16.5 percent.

“If Ahok and Djarot face Anies and Sandiaga, their vote share sits at 46.8 percent while Anies-Sandiaga’s sits at 36.2 percent,” Nona said at the Populi Center office in West Jakarta, adding that the undecided voter share in this scenario stood at 14.2 percent.

She added that if Anies-Sandiaga faced Agus-Sylvi in the election, Anies-Sandiaga would lead with 42.3 percent of votes while Agus-Sylvi could count on 24.5 percent of votes.

Ali Munhanif, a senior researcher with the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM), said Anies-Sandiaga and Agus-Sylvi had to make some kind of breakthrough to collect more votes by election day on Feb. 15.(Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)