Indonesia’s outgoing leader on Monday came within a whisker of telling retired Indonesian Army general Prabowo Subianto to admit defeat so that the country’s most bitterly fought leadership contest could be resolved.
Prabowo has almost certainly lost the July 9 election, but on Sunday alleged inconsistencies and demanded that Indonesia’s Elections Commission (KPU) investigate charges of vote-cheating before he would accept its result. The commission was due to announce the result yesterday or today.
“Admitting defeat is noble,” Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters in a clear reference to Prabowo.
Photo: AFP
A protracted wrangle over the election outcome could undermine confidence in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, which has seen strong investment in recent years.
Private tallies of the 130 million votes show Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo won by about 5 percentage points over Prabowo, who has spent the last 10 years preparing for his presidential bid.
Prabowo’s recalcitrance has led to fears his supporters might turn violent, while some have threatened to rally outside the Elections Commission office in central Jakarta ahead of the official result, which under law must be declared by today.
The national police and military have deployed nearly 300,000 personnel across the vast archipelago of 240 million people. Security has also been beefed up around the KPU office, but there has been no word of any violence.
“We don’t anticipate the KPU to be a hotspot for violence,” Indonesian national police spokesperson Boy Rafli Amar told reporters. “At the same time, we ask the public not to assemble there, so that the KPU officials can continue their work in a conducive atmosphere.”
Candidates can lodge complaints with the nation’s Constitutional Court, as has been done by the losers in the previous two presidential elections. The court has to return a verdict on any challenge within two weeks. The verdict cannot be appealed.
“If there is someone who does not accept the official result, I would advise them to peacefully go the constitutional route,” said Yudhoyono, who hosted both candidates for dinner at the presidential palace on Sunday night.
KPU officials said reports of irregularities have been investigated as recommended by the election watchdog. They said the number of disputed votes numbered in the thousands.
Analysts estimate that a Prabowo victory would need a reversal of up to 7 million votes.
As it has become increasingly clear that Prabowo has lost, signs have grown that key supporters may be ready to leave his “permanent coalition” of parties, or join the other side.
“The election has been completed and my job is complete. I’ve failed the Prabowo ... ticket,” Mohammad Mahfud MD, a widely respected former chief of the Constitutional Court and head of Prabowo’s campaign team told reporters.
Members of the biggest party backing Prabowo, Golkar, also appear to be turning against their own leader, Aburizal Bakrie, who is a staunch supporter of Prabowo.
Bakrie, who heads a prominent, debt-laden conglomerate, has been a key Prabowo ally.
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