The results of a latest survey by Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMY) on the sabda raja (king’s proclamation) of the Yogyakarta Palace on the possible ascension of a female Sultan for Yogyakarta province have revealed that the public was divided on the notion.
“The margin between those against and supportive of the royal decree is slim. Some are even reluctant because they are not well-informed on the content of the royal decree of the Yogyakarta Palace,” survey coordinator Eko Priyo Purnomo told Tempo on Thursday.
The survey was carried out from May 10-15 involving 460 respondents in all regencies and cities across Yogyakarta. Eko explained 43 percent of the respondents were against a female sultan, 35 percent supported the notion, and 22 percent hesitated.
He explained further 30 percent of the respondents said they agreed that the successor of Sultan Hamengku Bawono X, who would also become the governor of Yogyakarta, should be one of his daughters, 36 percent said they preferred a successor from the sultan’s younger brothers, while the rest were reluctant.
Eko said the interesting finding was that the approval of the existence of a female sultan did not correlate to the respondents’ gender. He recorded 47 percent of the 460 respondents were women and the rest were men.
According to the survey results, 42 percent of the male respondents would support a female sultan, 36 percent said no, and 22 percent hesitated. As for female respondents, 22 percent were pro-female sultan, 48 percent disagreed, and the rest hesitated.
TEMPO
