After The Campaign, Melki Laka Lena-Johni Asadoma Unggul In The NTT Pilkada Survey

JAKARTA - The Millennium Community Research Institute (LPMM) released the results of a survey related to the map of the votes strength of the three pairs of candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) in the 2024 Pilkada after conducting a campaign period since September 25.

As a result, the pair Melki Laka Lena-Johni Asadoma outperformed two rival candidate pairs, Yohanes Fransiskus Lema-Jane Natalia Suryanto and Simon Petrus Kamlasi-Andreas Garu.

"When respondents were asked an open question 'if the direct election of the Regional Head was held today, who would the pair of candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor of NTT who would mother/father/you choose?', the answer to the choice of the Top of Mind candidate pair for Melki Laka Lena-Jhoni Asadoma was chosen at 38.1 percent," said LPMM Executive Director, Alamsyah Wijaya, Friday, November 15.

"This pair outperforms candidate pair Yohanes Fransiskus Lema-Jane Natalia Suryanto who was selected by 30.4 percent. Followed by candidate pair Simon Petrus Kamlasi-Andreas Garu 21.3 percent, and did not answer 10.2 percent," he continued.

Likewise, when using closed questions, respondents were asked to choose answers from the options that had been previously determined with the help of a ballot. The candidate pair of Melki Laka Lena-Jhoni Asadoma was chosen as much as 40.4 percent, followed by the candidate pair Yohanes Fransiskus Lema-Jane Natalia Suryanto 32.2 percent. Meanwhile, the candidate pair Simon Petrus Kamlation-Andreas Garu was chosen at 23.8 percent, and did not answer 3.6 percent.

The LPMM survey also tested the level of introduction or Candidate Awareness by the people of NTT to the three candidate pairs. As a result, the survey found that the candidate pair of Melki Laka Lena-Jhoni Asadoma was well known by 73.2 percent of respondents.

Then candidate pair Simon Petrus Kamlasi-Andreas Garu was well known by 71.8 percent of respondents, and candidate pair Yohanes Fransiskus Lema-Jane Natalia Suryanto was well known by 70.1 percent of respondents.

LPMM then interviewed in-depth respondents who had watched the first and second debates from the three candidate pairs. As a result, candidate pair number 01, Yohanes Fransiskus Lema-Jane Natalia Suryanto is considered to have a strong character in rhetoric and promises. But it is considered not to give confidence to fulfill its promise because it is considered unrealistic with the very limited NTT fiscal.

"Yohanes Fransiskus Lema-Jane Natalia Suryanto is considered to be trapped in romance by not recognizing President Jokowi's performance and programs in building NTT and praising Megawati's ability to lead Indonesia and take care of NTT when she became President of the Republic of Indonesia," explained Alamsyah.

"Not really need central support and rely more on the strength of the community in building even though they know that more than 70 percent of the NTT development budget is still from the center," he continued.

Meanwhile, continued Alam, respondents assessed that candidate pair number 02, Melki Laka Lena-Jhoni Asadoma could provide evidence of campaign promises. This evidence is shown from the commitment of several ministers after being contacted directly by Melki Laka Lena when he was a member of the DPR.

"The commitment is considered concrete, provides programs for fishermen, habitable houses, farmers, breeders, digital communication, education, health, MSMEs, cooperatives and others," said Alamsyah.

In addition, said Alam, respondents also knew that Melki Laka Lena-Jhoni Asadoma met the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo in Jakarta. This pair received the mandate to maintain the sustainability of development that had been made in the Jokowi era in NTT and continued to ask for support from the central government to support development in NTT.

Melki Laka Lena-Jhoni Asadoma is also considered to have encouraged the optimization of the natural products of the people of NTT, both the quality and quantity of products in various fields. As well as strengthening and involving the NTT diaspora network throughout the country and worldwide to assist development in NTT.

"Also as part of the Prabowo-Gibran coalition, we continue to encourage and strengthen the support of the central government, the DPR and DPD RI as well as the private sector and the national CSO to help build NTT," said Alamsyah.

Meanwhile, candidate pair number 03, Simon Petrus Kamlasi-Andreas Garu, is assessed by respondents to have many campaign promises that lead to the importance of water as the main thing for all development. The pattern by relying on hydrant pumps.

"Both of these things are considered too simplifying the problems and solutions of NTT development so that other programs are not very clear to the public," said Alamsyah.

Respondents also considered that the pair Simon Petrus Kamlasi-Andreas Garu was very realistic. Because respondents agreed to build NTT needed central support and could not only rely on NTT's own capabilities.

"Because it is not part of a national coalition like candidate pair number 01, it is difficult to provide concrete plans to get central support," he said.

"But Simon Petrus Kamlation-Andreas Garu is also known to continue to strengthen with various strengths in Jakarta, both the central government and other parties but there are no tangible results that can be given to the people of NTT," concluded Alamsyah.

This latest LPMM survey was held in the period 2-12 November 2024 involving 1,580 respondents. The respondents are NTT ID card holders and are registered in the 2024 NTT Pilkada Permanent Voter List.

The survey was conducted using a face-to-face interview method directly and using Whatsapp Call. The margin of error survey is approximately 2.46 percent with a confidence level of 95 percent.