Mahfud MD Receives Highest Score in SMRC Survey

Mahfud MD topped the national leadership list in a survey released by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) on Thursday (15/10/2026). former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) scored an average of 7.6 on the 0-10 scale, the highest among 31 figures rated in the September 2026 Opinion Leaders Survey.

The results of the survey were presented by SMRC founder Saiful Mujani in FISIP UIN Jakarta Building. A total of 200 respondents consisting of academics and journalists rated 31 figures with nine benchmarks: capability and competence, empathy, integrity, acceptability, inclusive pluralism, commitment to democracy, commitment to public welfare, commitment to the professionalism of the armed forces and police, as well as commitment to active free foreign policy. The survey conducted in September 2026 rated the figures comparatively, so that the scores obtained reflect the relative perception among 31 figures on the rating list.

SMRC Survey: Mahfud MD Tops Anies, Ahok, Dedi Mulyadi
Illustration: Mahfud MD speaking at a press conference.He outperformed Anies Baswedan, Ahok, and Dedi Mulyadi in the SMRC national leadership survey. (Source: Brief.id)

Anies, Ahok, and Dedi Mulyadi Tied at 7.0

Under Mahfud, five figures each scored 7.0: Anies Baswedan, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), Dedi Mulyadi, Pramono Anung Wibowo, and Zainal Arifin Mochtar. Three — Anies, Ahok, and Dedi Mulyadi — are often referred to as strong candidates in national leadership contests.

Following below, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati scored 6.9, while Ganjar Pranowo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi respectively scored 6.8. As for the lowest group, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia with 4.9, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka 4.4, and Kaesang Pangarep 4.0. This lowest position shows the respondents — academics and journalists — give the lowest assessment to the group of young figures who are rising, at least in the context of democratic-transformative national leadership.

Integrity the Most Crucial Criterion

Integrity was the most decisive measure in this SMRC survey. 96 percent of respondents rated integrity — which includes honesty, consistency between words and deeds, as well as free from legal and moral defects — as “very important” for a national leader. Mahfud also scored the highest integrity score, 7.6.

Saiful Mujani explained that the study was designed to respond to public disappointment of a number of elected leaders but was judged to be disappointing. “This opinion leaders survey explores democratic-transformative national leadership,” Saiful said when presenting the survey results.