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Yudhoyono ahead in quick count

— Photo: AP

Thumbs up: Indonesian President Susilo Yudhoyono and his wife Kristiani Herawati in Jakarta on Wednesday.

SINGAPORE: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday appeared set to win a second successive term, on the basis of what he himself described as “a quick count”.

The official result of the presidential poll held earlier in the day was not expected for several days. With neither of his opponents, Megawati Sukarnoputri and Jusuf Kalla, conceding defeat, Mr. Yudhoyono did not claim victory until late in the night.

Two non-official exit polls indicated an outright win by him that might obviate the need for a run-off in September. Two mandatory benchmarks for victory without a run-off contest are a vote tally above 50 per cent of the ballots cast and a minimum of 20 per cent in each of at least 17 provinces out of the national total of 33.

In televised comments after the exit poll results became known, the President, also known as Mr. Susilo or SBY, described Wednesday’s election as a “peaceful and democratic” exercise. He was not yet contacted by either Ms. Megawati or Mr. Kalla.

Calling on all parties to respect the official result and hoping for “good relations” among them, Mr. Yudhoyono said he and Mr. Kalla, currently the Vice-President, would need to work together till the completion of their current term on October 2.

A key political dispute that punctuated the election was the alleged failure of the poll authorities to register all the 170 million eligible voters. In a poll-eve ruling in a case articulated by Ms. Megawati and Mr. Kalla, the Constitutional Court ordered that the unregistered be allowed to vote by using their national identity cards as the proof of eligibility. However, as the voting closed, she was quoted as describing the day’s proceedings as “pseudo-democracy”. This could not be immediately verified.

The President, who defeated her in the first-ever direct presidential poll in 2004, campaigned for re-election on the basis of his anti-graft and anti-terror record in office and his economic agenda of reform and growth. The prospect of “a rising Indonesia” on the lines of India and China was also articulated by him.

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