NO one can deny that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s popularity has been on the rise over the last year. In various opinion polls, his name has more and more frequently emerged as the top presidential candidate. In contrast, he had earlier still been ranked far below Megawati and Amien Rais. Initially, in Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicated’s (SSS) opinion poll held last year, he was still in fourth place. Then a joint poll by the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) and Secretariat General of the People’s Legislative Assembly/House of Representatives put him second with 11.2 percent, trailing Mega by 2.5 percent. But, in a later survey by the Center for the Study of Development and Democracy (Cesda), he began to show as the most suitable presidential candidate