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Indonesia to name new president

Written By blogger on Monday, July 21, 2014 | 8:06 PM

Indonesia is to name its new president, following a hotly-contested election that saw both candidates claim victory.

Most "quick counts" after the 9 July election placed Joko Widodo, the popular Jakarta governor, in the lead.

But his rival Prabowo Subianto, a former military general under Suharto, said other polls showed he had won.

The Election Commission has since been tallying votes. Outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has urged both parties to respect the result.

Security will be tight for the announcement, with more than 250,000 police officers on duty across the nation.

There are fears the result could trigger violence between rival groups of supporters.

Both candidates have raised concerns about voting irregularities during the past two weeks, as ballots from nearly 500,000 polling stations have been tallied.

Security personnel wait outside Election Commission HQ in Jakarta on 22 July 2014
Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (C), presidential candidates Joko Widodo (R) and Prabowo Subianto (L) attend a breaking-fast together at the presidential palace in Jakarta on 20 July 2014 Mr Yudhoyono (centre) met with Mr Subianto (left) and Mr Widodo (right) at a breaking-fast dinner on Sunday
Officials of Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) open the sealed envelope containing Bali's provincial tabulation during the national tabulation at the KPU headquarters in Jakarta on 21 July 2014. Election commission officials have been tallying votes from almost 500,000 polling stations

Reliable polls point to a win for Mr Widodo, also known as Jokowi, by about five percentage points.

Official results from the sub-district and provincial levels that have been released so far also indicate Mr Widodo has won by between three and five percentage points.

But Mr Subianto's camp have said they will not accept official results until allegations of cheating are probed.

Mr Subianto told reporters on Sunday that if the Election Commission did not investigate possible voting fraud, that was a "crime" that "very much calls into question the legitimacy of the whole process".

He called on the Election Commission to delay announcing the result - a request the commission rejected.

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At the scene: Alice Budisatrijo, BBC News, Jakarta

Hours before the Election Commission is due to announce the winner, thousands of riot police and military personnel are standing by at its headquarters in the centre of Jakarta's business district.

Roads in the vicinity are blocked off and traffic is being diverted. The authorities are telling residents to go about their business as usual and not to come to the announcement.

Mr Widodo is telling his supporters to watch it on television, but the police say supporters of his opponent Prabowo Subianto are planning to come out to rally near the Election Commission headquarters.

Data made public on the commission's website indicates Mr Widodo will be announced as Indonesia's next president. Indonesians are bracing to see whether his rival will stick to his claims that "massive fraud" has taken place - and how his supporters will react.

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The outgoing leader, Mr Yudhoyono, has called for calm, urging all Indonesians "to safeguard the final chapter of the election process".

"It is important to value our unity, brotherhood and togetherness. When a nation is divided, to reunite is not easy," he said at a meeting on Sunday with both candidates.

On Monday Mr Yudhoyono - whose party backs Mr Subianto - also appeared to suggest that he should accept the results, saying: "Conceding defeat is noble".

Candidates have two weeks to appeal to the constitutional court following the announcement of official results.

About 130 million votes were cast on 9 July following an intense election campaign.

The race has been seen as a contest between new and old-style politics. Mr Widodo draws his support from the grass-roots and is unconnected to the traditional elite.

Mr Subianto, meanwhile, is the son-in-law of Suharto and has faced multiple questions over alleged human rights abuses under his regime.


Indonesia to name new president

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