Jakarta governor Joko Widodo is a clear favourite to win Indonesia’s presidential election in July, according to an Australian poll released today.

The poll of nearly 3,000 people across Indonesia was conducted in February, and indicated that 40 percent of respondents would vote for Widodo in the July 9 election.

His closest rivals, retired general Prabowo Subianto and Aburizal Bakrie, polled 17 percent and 11 percent respectively. The remaining 32 percent supported other candidates.

The poll was conducted before the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) nominated Widodo as its presidential candidate last week, an appointment that was widely anticipated.

“If the party uses him wisely in the next few weeks - in the right areas with the right message - they could be in a commanding position at the head of a coalition comprising very junior partners,” said Debnath Guharoy, director of Australia-based polling agency Roy Morgan Research.

Widodo, a 52-year-old former furniture businessman, was elected Jakarta governor in 2012. He was previously the mayor of Solo in Central Java province.

The poll surveyed 2,934 eligible voters, including in face-to-face interviews, across Indonesia’s 34 provinces.

- dpa