Agus-Sylvi Suffers from Negative Sentiments, Analyst Says

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In the initial surveys conducted after the first official Jakarta governor candidate debate, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni recorded a positive trend. However, according to a political analyst from Universitas Indonesia Donny Gahral Adiansyah, the candidate pair later suffered negative sentiments "created by the candidate's environment."

Donny explained that negative sentiments suffered by the candidate we re originated from a series of statements made by their relatives and inner circle in social media.

Donny asserted that tweets posted by former Indonesian president and Agus' father Susilo "SBY" Bambang Yudhoyono potentially spark antipathy from potential voters. "Playing victim is actually counterproductive. The public living in the capital are rational and can differentiate which [state ments] are fake and sincere," Donny continued.

Donny said that SBY's accusation on the involvement of the government's in Antasari Azhar's surprising statements last Tuesday, only perceives himself as a weak and whiny leader, which will eventually effect the candidates that he had supported. "Different with the strategy conducted by Anies, who never attacked the government," Donny said.

Donny further added that the public perceives Agus as someone who's a master in rhetoric but weak in details.

S. DIAN ANDRYANTO