Polmatrix's Explanation Of Jokowi's Cannot Go Anymore But Still Becomes A Presidential Candidate, Denies Leading Opinions

President Jokowi in East Java (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev)

JAKARTA - The Executive Director of Polmatrix Indonesia Dendik Rulianto explained that Joko Widodo's name was still included in the 2024 presidential candidate in his agency's survey. In the Polmatrix survey, Jokowi got the highest electability with a figure of 40.5 percent. Dendik admitted that Jokowi's name was included in the survey for the 2024 voter benchmark. Apparently, there are still many people who want to vote for Jokowi if they run again as a presidential candidate.

"As a benchmark, the figure who will nominate, means that the response from the community is not far from Pak Jokowi's profile, that's all," Dendik told VOI, Friday, April 1.

According to him, it's okay if the survey still includes Jokowi's name. Because, it can be a benchmark for other candidates that so far it is someone like Jokowi who is still the people's choice. "Voters' preferences are not far from the typology of people like Pak Jokowi, so they can be used as benchmarks for other candidates," he explained.

Dendik said that the majority of Indonesian people still expect Jokowi's figure to become president. However, satisfaction with the government's performance has finally declined.

"From the community, there are still many who still want it. We look around from our network in all provinces in Indonesia, the average community still wants it, although there are still contradictions in his recent satisfaction," he explained. In addition, said Dendik, the constitution also mandates that the president and vice president be elected for two terms. "It's just another constitutional obstacle," he said.

Dendik denied that the Polmatrix survey was to lead public opinion regarding the presidential discourse for 3 periods. He emphasized that including Jokowi's name in the survey was only a benchmark for position in the 2024 election.

"Not really. The survey must be neutral. Yesterday, we discussed with friends, just try to enter Pak Jokowi's profile so that we can measure what Pak Jokowi's preferences for the 2024 election are like," concluded Dendik.

Previously, Polmatrix survey results showed that President Joko Widodo's electability was still the highest compared to other figures.

"The findings of the Polmatrix Indonesia survey show that Jokowi's electability is the highest, reaching 40.5 percent," he said in a written statement quoted by Antara, Thursday, March 31.

With this achievement, the electability of names that often appear in the 2024 Presidential Candidate Exchange is under pressure. For example, Prabowo Subianto, in the December 2021 survey, recorded 19.5 percent, but has now dropped to 12.8 percent.

Likewise, the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, who excelled in the December 2021 survey by 19.5 percent but dropped to 9.5 percent.

In contrast to the two names, the electability of DPR Chair Puan Maharani actually started to creep up. Previously, the PDI-P politician only won 1.4 percent electability, but now it has increased to 3.0 percent.

Even though the electability of the former Solo Mayor is high or beats other names, Jokowi cannot run as president because of the constitution.