Key Findings
- Indonesians are concerned about China’s rise: 56% say it is likely that China will become a military threat to Indonesia in the next 20 years.
- 61% of Indonesians are in favour of a company, bank or investment fund controlled by the Australian government buying a controlling stake in a major Indonesian company
- Of 21 countries, Australia was the fourth most warmly regarded moving from a lukewarm 51° recorded in the Institute’s 2006 Indonesia Poll to a warm 62
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Executive Summary
SUMMARY
While the government relationship has traditionally focused on threats and aid, large majorities of Indonesians want a much broader relationship working on education (95% in favour), health (92%) and trade (87%).
The poll found a surprising 61% of Indonesians are in favour of a company, bank or investment fund controlled by the Australian government buying a controlling stake in a major Indonesian company.
It was not all good news for Australia. Presented with a range of hypothetical policy options, 15% of Indonesians expressed support for a boycott of Australian products, and 12% were in favour of the Indonesian government encouraging militant groups to attack Australia.
And even though Australia is by far the single largest bilateral donor to Indonesia (providing $US 324 million in 2010), only 14% of Indonesians actually think this is the case.
Other key findings:
- 88% of Indonesians say the suicide bombing attacks that have occurred in Indonesia are never justified, but 7% say they are sometimes justified, and 2% that they are always justified.
- 62% of Indonesians say democracy is preferable to any other kind of government and there is near universal agreement on three core democratic values – the rights to a fair trial, freely express yourself and vote in national elections.
- 58% of Indonesians back the United States to be the leading military power in Asia in 20 years compared with only a quarter (25%) who say it will be China.
The Lowy Institute Indonesia Poll was a near-nationally representative survey of 1,289 Indonesian adults conducted using face-to-face interviews in Indonesia between 20 November and 13 December 2011.
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