Voters want younger candidates

JAKARTA. A survey conducted by Jakarta-based pollster the Indonesian Research Institute (Insis) found that the 2014 presidential election could see a greater turnout if younger candidates were fielded by political parties.

More than 81 percent of survey respondents said that they would vote in the 2014 presidential poll if younger candidates such as Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso or businessman Hary Tanoesoedibjo ran in the election.

However, when asked if they would vote if older politicians such Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chair Megawati Soekarnoputri, Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie and Greater Indonesian Movement (Gerindra) Party chief patron Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto were running, only 63 percent of the respondents said that they would vote.

“What does this means? It means that people are tired of the same old politicians,” Insis researcher Mochtar W. Oetomo said in a press briefing.