Quick counts show a big margin; if confirmed, a run-off won't be needed
By
Salim Osman, Indonesia Correspondent
Dr Yudhoyono at a polling station in Bogor. Pollsters show him winning with between 57 and 61per cent. -- PHOTO: AFP
JAKARTA - INCUMBENT Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appeared headed for a landslide win in Indonesia's presidential election on Wednesday, becoming the first leader since the fall of Suharto in 1998 to secure a second term in office. Quick counts showed him ahead by a massive margin, which would eliminate the need for a run-off in September.
How Ms Megawati and Vice-President Kalla fared
DR YUDHOYONO'S predecessor and leading challenger, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, was far behind with 26.56 per cent, while current Vice-President Jusuf Kalla was an even more distant third with 12.59 per cent.
Dr Yudhoyono, 59, led with 60.85 per cent of the vote, according to a partial count by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI). Other pollsters showed him winning with between 57 per cent and 61 per cent.
According to LSI, Dr Yudhoyono was the winner in 30 of the country's 33 provinces, clearing yet another hurdle to avoid a second round of voting. Under election law, there is no need for a run-off if the poll winner gets more than 50 per cent of votes cast and wins at least 20 per cent in half the provinces.
Despite his apparent overwhelming win, Dr Yudhoyono refrained from declaring himself the victor. At his house in Bogor, he told reporters: 'I thank God for the people's support. But let's wait for the full official results.' Winning or losing was noble, he said, calling on his rivals to resolve any objections to the results peacefully.
'Let's work together to maintain a peaceful situation in this country,' he said. 'If there are objections or protests, please do it through mechanisms and procedures in line with our law.'
The official results are expected to be declared on July 25 but the quick counts have proven accurate in previous elections. Analysts say the early results, if confirmed, would effectively end the political careers of Ms Megawati and Mr Kalla.
Allegations of irregularities, including charges of fictitious voters and millions being left off the voter rolls, have dogged the election. The accusations prompted a Constitutional Court to issue a last-minute ruling that allowed unregistered voters to cast their ballots by using their identity cards.
On Wednesday, Panwaslu, the election supervisory board, issued a statement saying it had received reports of irregularities in the election in several places.
Otherwise, polling was peaceful as around 176 million Indonesians turned up at half a million polling stations across the sprawling archipelago. National police spokesman Nanan Sukartna told reporters there had been no reports of election-related violence.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times
