Indonesian presidential candidates summoned after both declare victory
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Version 0 of 1. The Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has summoned both presidential candidates for talks at his private residence following declarations of victory by both contenders. The vote in the world’s third-largest democracy led to both the frontrunner, Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, and his opponent, Prabowo Subianto, declaring they had each received a mandate to lead. Yudhoyono on Wednesday urged Indonesians to remain calm, avoid any mass celebrations and stressed the results of the quick counts were unofficial. Late on Wednesday both candidates were called in for discussions. Jokowi was told to hold off on any victory celebrations, and Prabowo to control his supporters, which include Islamic extremist groups. Of at least 10 quick counts conducted on Wednesday, seven showed Jokowi and his running mate Jusuf Kalla with a lead of between 4% and 6% over their opponents, Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa. Analysts say the quick counts that point to a Jokowi victory, such as those by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting, are the most reputable. Quick counts, which are by private pollsters, are based on a sample of votes. The official result of Wednesday’s election will not be released until 21-22 July. Two polling institutions that published conflicting results – Puskaptis (Center of Policy and Development) and the Indonesian Voting Network (JSI) – have been asked to publicly announce their methodology and provide information about their funding. The Indonesian Survey and Public Opinion Association (Persepi) announced on Thursday morning it would conduct an audit of the two companies, the results of which will be announced within a week. But even as the majority of quick counts point to his defeat, Prabowo, a former army general who has run three times for the presidency, is refusing to concede defeat. Election coverage on TV One, a station owned by one of Prabowo’s backers, last night refused to acknowledge the quick counts by other pollsters, continuing to push a definitive Prabowo win. Jokowi, a common-man politician who has impressed Indonesians with his no-nonsense approach to weeding out corruption and fixing problems, is perceived as a new breed of politician next to the old Suharto elite. Symbolising hope and change, Jokowi has energised Indonesian voters, drawing comparisons with Barack Obama’s historic election in 2008. After declaring a win for the second time on Wednesday, Jokowi told voters: “Today, a new history has been made: a new chapter for Indonesia ... this is a victory for the Indonesian people.” But the rightful winner of the election is likely to remain unclear until the elections commission announces the official result in the coming weeks. Even then, analysts say that Prabowo, who has invested a significant amount of energy and money in the race, will not give up without a fight and could contest the result in the constitutional court. With underlying concerns the dispute could cause social unrest, both candidates have called for Indonesians to guard the integrity of the vote to avoid any fraud during the official vote counting. |