Majority of Indonesians give president good rating

JAKARTA (Reuters): A majority of Indonesians think President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is doing a good job, but many are unhappy at the country's economic performance, an opinion poll showed on Thursday.

The poll, released at a news conference by the Indonesia Survey Institute, put Susilo's job approval rating at 56 percent, down from 63 percent in September.

A similar survey by a different institute in October put the former general's approval rating at 53 percent.

Susilo has won respect across Indonesia for his integrity, but his toughest challenge has been trying to create jobs and spur economic growth.

Nearly 54 percent of 1,100 respondents polled across Indonesia in mid-December said they believed economic conditions were worse than a year earlier, the latest survey showed.

Susilo's spokesman for domestic affairs, Andi Mallarangeng, defended the president's record and said 56 percent was "not too bad" for a democracy.

Susilo won Indonesia's first direct presidential poll 15 months ago, taking 61 percent of the vote in a second round run-off against then incumbent leader Megawati Soekarnoputri.

One of the most unpopular decisions Susilo has made since taking office was to raise government-set domestic fuel prices by more than 100 percent in response to soaring global oil prices that were hurting the economy and rupiah currency. (***)

Jakarta Post, 29 December 2005