Indonesian pollsters want ethics code ahead of elections

A group of pollsters has called on members in their fast-growing industry to maintain integrity and fairness in the coming months ahead of elections.

The group, made up of 25 pollsters, calls itself Persepi. It hopes to impose a code of ethics on pollsters in the lead-up to elections in April.

"We have seen so many survey results released (in 2013), some by new polling outfits we have not heard of. Naturally, we have heard some feedback that some of these are dodgy results," political scientist Andrinof Chaniago told The Straits Times.

Since 2004, the number of polling outlets has more than tripled and there are now hundreds, including new ones outside Jakarta, observers say.

They charge as low as 50 million rupiah (S$5,000) for surveys done in small cities to gauge the electability of district chiefs, or up to 100 million rupiah for bigger cities. The rate can go above 500 million rupiah for nationwide polls involving 2,000 respondents.

In a single week last month, at least four survey results were released, all tracking the performance of presidential candidates in this year's elections, including leaders who have yet to announce their candidacies.

Because of the high number of district-level and provincial elections across the country last year - nearly 200 in all - pollsters have been kept busy.

Of particular worry is something called a "success fee", which pollsters pocket if they ensure a win for the candidate who is their client - a clear conflict of interest.

Mr Dendy Susianto, chief of a district-level poll outfit called LKPI, was quoted as saying on television that he charges up to 100 million rupiah for operational and administrative costs, but takes an additional "success fee" of 500 million rupiah if his client wins.

Mr Nico Harjanto of Populi Centre, a public opinion and policy research centre, who took over as the new chief of Persepi, said he is worried about lax standards and unclear methodology being used.

Persepi, formed by 22 members in 2009, is getting active only now as members fear there is no check against the quality of surveys as agencies burgeon.

Mr Nico said there were signs of manipulated data by vested parties ahead of elections, such as omitting the names of popular candidates or results.

There are also polling agencies that release distorted results on purpose to influence the choices of those who have yet to vote.

To avoid suspicion, Mr Nico said, polling outfits should declare who commissioned a survey and whether they were using survey results to track their candidates' electability or whether the survey was part of their political consultancy services.

Among the public, there are already signs of poll fatigue.

"The political survey results are starting to bore me," said Ms Juli Widarna, 31, a marketing executive in Jakarta. "Just another set of numbers, positions and tables.... for whose benefit? I'd rather just cast my vote and wait for the results," she said.

But Mr Saiful Mujani, who heads his own research and political consultancy, said such sentiments are still in the minority.

"Polls are relevant to gauge the public's views. People are still responding to our polls, so we don't sense that they have lost faith in us," he told The Straits Times.

"Survey results are important in a democratic system to openly show how candidates are faring, so people can make an informed choice and effect change."

zubaidah@sph.com.sg

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