JAKARTA - Indonesian Defence Minister and presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto has extended a commanding lead in the polls ahead of February’s election.

A series of recent surveys showed the former general now has a lead of more than 20 points.

The latest poll released by Kompas on Dec 11 showed Mr Prabowo and his running mate, President Joko Widodo’s 36-year-old son Gibran Rakabuming, garnered 39.3 per cent of the vote.

The survey placed former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan as his closest opponent with 16.7 per cent, followed by Mr Ganjar Pranowo with 15.3 per cent.

This is the first time a poll has shown Mr Anies surpassing Mr Ganjar, and reflects a rising trajectory indicated by other recent polls.

Two surveys released over the weekend by separate pollsters, Indikator Politik and Lembaga Survei Indonesia, also show Mr Prabowo extending his lead, with 45.8 per cent and 45.6 per cent of the vote respectively.

Both polls show Mr Prabowo more than 20 percentage points in front of his closest opponents.

The results come just weeks after campaigning officially kicked off. The first presidential debate, focused on law, democracy and human rights, takes place on Dec 12.

A decision by the country’s constitutional court in October that paved the way for the President’s eldest son to run in the elections has sparked widespread outcry about the deepening of dynastic and patronage politics in the world’s third-largest democracy.

But the polls show the criticism has not dented the popularity of Mr Prabowo.

He is carving out a new image as a cute and cat-loving uncle with a penchant for spontaneous Javanese dance, clips of which have gone viral on TikTok.

Mr Prabowo is accused of human rights abuses in Timor-Leste when it was part of Indonesia, and of being involved in the kidnapping of 13 student activists in 1998. He has denied all of those claims.

Indonesia’s presidential election is scheduled for Feb 14, 2024.

If no candidate secures a majority, the vote will go to a second round in June. REUTERS