Indonesia’s Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, who has announced ideas to run for president a third time, is getting momentum seven months away from the vote, according to the latest survey. The former special-forces commander, who could not win in the last two elections to Mr Joko Widodo, topped a Lingkaran Survei Indonesia survey revealed on Monday with an approved rating of 34.3 per cent. That is higher than the 33.9 per cent in the agency’s May polling when he first excelled Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo. The last survey reveals that Mr Prabowo, 71, is getting ground ahead of the Feb 14 presidential race after trailing Mr Ganjar’s fame for more than a year.
Mr Ganjar, the candidate of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, stays in second place with 32.7 per cent followed by former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan. “Prabowo topping the survey is a result of a rebranding exercise which was implemented during the last year; one of which is to focus on millennials,” said Mr D. Nicky Fahrizal, a researcher at the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “The plan of staying close to Jokowi to capitalise on his fame and success is also showing rewards,” he said. Mr Widodo is naming himself as a power broker in Indonesia for more than 10 years to come, says a Bloomberg report in June. With his fame at an all-time high, the incumbent’s endorsement will be important.
In the last month, Mr Widodo and Mr Prabowo, a former son-in-law of dictator Suharto, have seen each other almost three times. At a June 18 lunch meeting, Mr Widodo told the local media they talked about political problems. After their June 26 meeting at the presidential palace, Mr Prabowo said: “The President questioned about my future ideas and strategies.”