Respondents to the survey (numbering 1,200) assume that Islamic parties experience declining rates of support due to a lack of public expose in Indonesian media and a lack of party funds as the Islamic parties generally do not have a rich business tycoon as chairman or sponsor. Moreover, it is assumed that nationalist figures already accommodate the interests of Muslims.

Indonesia is a secular country in the sense that its political policies are not necessarily derived from religious teachings and that it does not have a single state religion. However, religion does play a very important role in Indonesian society, particularly Islam as almost 90 percent of the population is Muslim. Most of these Muslims can be labelled moderate and highly supportive of a religious pluralist society.

Discuss