Indonesia’s defence minister takes clear lead in presidential vote
Prabowo Subianto has secured 58% of the votes cast so far, according to exit polls
14 February 2024 - 16:09
byStefanno Sulaiman and Fransiska Nangoy
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Supporters of Indonesia's Defence Minister and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto outside his home in the capital, Jakarta, on February 14, 2024. REUTERS/AJENG DINAR ULFIANA
Jakarta — Unofficial tallies in Indonesia’s presidential election on Wednesday showed Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto taking a commanding lead that could see him win in a single round.
Prabowo had about 58% of votes cast according to four pollsters, based on ballots counted in a sample of voting stations nationwide. The number of votes they had tallied ranged from about 52% to 67% at 9.12am GMT.
Rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo had about 25% and 17% respectively, according to the independent pollsters that were conducting “quick counts” at the close of voting.
Counts by reputable outlets have proven to be accurate in previous elections. An official result is not expected for several weeks.
The pattern could signal a first round win for Prabowo. To win in a single round, a candidate needs more than 50% of votes cast and 20% of the ballot in half of the country’s provinces.
If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held in June.
The contest pits popular former governors Ganjar and Anies against the pre-election front-runner Prabowo, a former special forces commander feared in the 1990s as a top lieutenant of Suharto, Indonesia’s late strongman ruler.
“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), we hope the election can go in one round,” said Nusron Wahid, secretary of Prabowo’s campaigning team.
The world's biggest single-day election has included nearly 259,000 candidates vying for 20,600 posts across the archipelago of 17,000 islands, but the focus has been firmly on the race to replace President Joko Widodo, whose influence could determine who takes the helm of the world’s third-largest democracy.
The early lead will be a big boost for Prabowo, who has undergone an image rebrand and is contesting his third successive election after twice losing to the hugely popular Widodo, who cannot run again because of term limits. Jokowi, as the incumbent is known, is tacitly backing and betting on his former rival as a continuity candidate to preserve his legacy, including a role for his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as Prabowo’s running mate.
Two surveys published last week gave Prabowo just over 50% support, with Anies and Ganjar 27 and 31 points adrift, respectively, though the quick counts point to a stronger lead.
“This is an emphatic result that diminishes prospects for legal challenges and will also provide the Widodo-Prabowo alliance with an element of affirmation from the public for decision-making in the months ahead,” said political analyst Kevin O’Rourke.
Nonetheless, “concerns exist about the prospect of further incursions on democratic norms”, he added.
‘Honest and fair’
Former Jakarta governor Anies and ex-Central Java governor Ganjar had been trying to woo undecided voters to try to force a runoff in June.
“I want to underline that we want honest and fair elections so that it becomes peaceful,” Anies said at a polling station.
Deadly riots broke out after the 2019 election, when Prabowo had initially contested Jokowi’s victory.
About 200,000 security personnel were on guard during Wednesday’s voting.
“So far, the situation is safe, under control,” said national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
Anies has campaigned on promises of change and preventing a backsliding in the democratic reforms achieved in the 25 years since the end of Suharto’s authoritarian, kleptocratic rule.
Ganjar hails from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle, of which Jokowi is ostensibly a member, and has campaigned largely on continuing the president’s policies but, crucially, lacks his endorsement.
Before voting, he also called for a clean election so that candidates could accept the result.
Hasto Kristiyanto, a senior politician in his campaign team said there had been many reports of alleged cheating in Central Java and East Java and some intimidation.
Prabowo said on Wednesday he hoped the “voting process goes well”.
In later comments from a swimming pool at his private residence near Jakarta, the wealthy 72-year-old businessman said he wanted to defend truth, eliminate corruption and ensure no-one in Indonesia went hungry.
“I want there to be no 70-year-old people still driving rickshaws. That’s my wish,” he added.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Indonesia’s defence minister takes clear lead in presidential vote
Prabowo Subianto has secured 58% of the votes cast so far, according to exit polls
Jakarta — Unofficial tallies in Indonesia’s presidential election on Wednesday showed Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto taking a commanding lead that could see him win in a single round.
Prabowo had about 58% of votes cast according to four pollsters, based on ballots counted in a sample of voting stations nationwide. The number of votes they had tallied ranged from about 52% to 67% at 9.12am GMT.
Rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo had about 25% and 17% respectively, according to the independent pollsters that were conducting “quick counts” at the close of voting.
Counts by reputable outlets have proven to be accurate in previous elections. An official result is not expected for several weeks.
The pattern could signal a first round win for Prabowo. To win in a single round, a candidate needs more than 50% of votes cast and 20% of the ballot in half of the country’s provinces.
If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held in June.
The contest pits popular former governors Ganjar and Anies against the pre-election front-runner Prabowo, a former special forces commander feared in the 1990s as a top lieutenant of Suharto, Indonesia’s late strongman ruler.
“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), we hope the election can go in one round,” said Nusron Wahid, secretary of Prabowo’s campaigning team.
The world's biggest single-day election has included nearly 259,000 candidates vying for 20,600 posts across the archipelago of 17,000 islands, but the focus has been firmly on the race to replace President Joko Widodo, whose influence could determine who takes the helm of the world’s third-largest democracy.
The early lead will be a big boost for Prabowo, who has undergone an image rebrand and is contesting his third successive election after twice losing to the hugely popular Widodo, who cannot run again because of term limits. Jokowi, as the incumbent is known, is tacitly backing and betting on his former rival as a continuity candidate to preserve his legacy, including a role for his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as Prabowo’s running mate.
Two surveys published last week gave Prabowo just over 50% support, with Anies and Ganjar 27 and 31 points adrift, respectively, though the quick counts point to a stronger lead.
“This is an emphatic result that diminishes prospects for legal challenges and will also provide the Widodo-Prabowo alliance with an element of affirmation from the public for decision-making in the months ahead,” said political analyst Kevin O’Rourke.
Nonetheless, “concerns exist about the prospect of further incursions on democratic norms”, he added.
‘Honest and fair’
Former Jakarta governor Anies and ex-Central Java governor Ganjar had been trying to woo undecided voters to try to force a runoff in June.
“I want to underline that we want honest and fair elections so that it becomes peaceful,” Anies said at a polling station.
Deadly riots broke out after the 2019 election, when Prabowo had initially contested Jokowi’s victory.
About 200,000 security personnel were on guard during Wednesday’s voting.
“So far, the situation is safe, under control,” said national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
Anies has campaigned on promises of change and preventing a backsliding in the democratic reforms achieved in the 25 years since the end of Suharto’s authoritarian, kleptocratic rule.
Ganjar hails from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle, of which Jokowi is ostensibly a member, and has campaigned largely on continuing the president’s policies but, crucially, lacks his endorsement.
Before voting, he also called for a clean election so that candidates could accept the result.
Hasto Kristiyanto, a senior politician in his campaign team said there had been many reports of alleged cheating in Central Java and East Java and some intimidation.
Prabowo said on Wednesday he hoped the “voting process goes well”.
In later comments from a swimming pool at his private residence near Jakarta, the wealthy 72-year-old businessman said he wanted to defend truth, eliminate corruption and ensure no-one in Indonesia went hungry.
“I want there to be no 70-year-old people still driving rickshaws. That’s my wish,” he added.
Reuters
Indonesians will see if democracy prevails in vital presidential poll
Indonesia president shrugs off discontent among top officials
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.