JAKARTA, 30 July 2004 - Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono could become the next president of Indonesia, according to a poll by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI). 68 per cent of respondents would vote for Yudhoyono of the Democratic Party (PDI) in the country’s run-off election.
Current president Megawati Sukarnoputri of the Struggling Indonesian Democratic Party (PDIP) garners the support of 23 per cent of respondents, while nine per cent remain undecided or offer no opinion.
In the Jun. 5 election—the first ever direct presidential ballot in Indonesia—Yudhoyono finished in first place with 33.57 per cent of all cast ballots, followed by Megawati with 26.60 per cent. Since no candidate received more than 50 per cent of all votes, a run-off was scheduled for Sept. 20.
Before final first round tallies were published on Jul. 26, Yudhoyono and Megawati were already in talks with other political organizations to secure backing for the run-off. Megawati has reportedly offered eight cabinet posts to members of the Party of the Functional Groups (Golkar) in case she is re-elected.

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