Indonesia's Widodo declares victory in presidential election
Published Thu Apr 18 2019 12:53:34 GMT+0000 (UTC)
by By NINIEK KARMINI
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Thursday he has won re-election after receiving an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory.
Widodo, after meeting with parties in his coalition, told reporters that the leaders of Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey and numerous other nations have congratulated him on securing a second term.
The vote estimate is based on so-called quick counts of a sample of polling stations by a dozen reputable survey organizations. Widodo said that 100% of sample polling stations have now been counted or close to that. The quick counts have been accurate in previous elections.
"We all know that the QC (quick count) calculation is a scientific calculation method. From the country's experiences of past elections the accuracy is 99.9%, almost the same as real count results," Widodo said.
Widodo's rival, former Gen. Prabowo Subianto, has claimed he won 62% of the vote in Wednesday's election based on his campaign's own counts, repeating a similar claim when he lost to Widodo in 2014.
The Election Commission is required to release official results by May 22.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, is an outpost of democracy in a Southeast Asian neighborhood of authoritarian governments and is forecast to be among the world's biggest economies by 2030. A second term for Widodo, the first Indonesian president from outside the Jakarta elite, could further cement the country's two decades of democratization.
Subianto, a strident nationalist, ran a fear-based campaign, highlighting what he sees as Indonesia's weakness and the risk of exploitation by foreign powers or disintegration.
Widodo said he had sent a representative to talk to Subianto and his camp.
"This afternoon I have sent an envoy to meet Prabowo to set a meeting, and if people see our meeting, we will be able to show how the elections have ended smoothly, safely and peacefully," he said.
The country's security minister and its military and police chiefs said earlier Thursday that they will crack down on any attempts to disrupt public order while official results from presidential and legislative elections are tabulated.
Security minister Wiranto, who uses a single name, told a news conference with the chiefs of police and all military branches that security forces will "act decisively" against any threats to order and security.
He said the voter turnout of 80.5% gives the winner of the presidential election "high legitimacy."
National police chief Tito Karnavian said the Election Commission and courts are the appropriate institutions for resolving complaints about the election.
Subianto's hard-line Muslim supporters plan mass prayers in central Jakarta on Friday but it was unclear if the event will be allowed to go ahead.
"I appeal to everybody not to mobilize, both mobilization to celebrate victory or mobilization about dissatisfaction," Karnavian said.
The election was a huge logistical exercise with 193 million people eligible to vote, more than 800,000 polling stations and 17 million people involved in ensuring the polls ran smoothly. Helicopters, boats and horses were used to get ballots to remote and inaccessible corners of the archipelago.
Voting ran smoothly, apart from a few districts where logistical problems caused delays, and was peaceful, a remarkable achievement for a country steeped in political violence.
Widodo's campaign highlighted his progress in poverty reduction and improving Indonesia's inadequate infrastructure with new ports, toll roads, airports and mass rapid transit. The latter became a reality last month in chronically congested Jakarta with the opening of a subway.
Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center left, shares a light moment with his running mate Ma'ruf Amin, center right, during a press conference after a meeting with their coalition parties in Jakarta, Indonesia,, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Widodo said Thursday he was won reelection after securing an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo walks with Secretary General of Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle Hasto Kristiyanto, right, upon arrival for a meeting with leaders of his coalition parties in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Widodo said Thursday he was won re-election after receiving an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, walks with the Secretary General of Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle Hasto Kristiyanto, right, upon arrival for a meeting with leaders of his coalition parties in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Widodo said Thursday he was won re-election after receiving an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Police officers lead a sniffer dog as they patrol around the General Election Commission office one day after the election in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Indonesia's top security minister and its military and police chiefs said Thursday that they will crack down decisively on any attempts to disrupt public order while official results from presidential and legislative elections are tabulated. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, smiles upon arrival for a meeting with leaders of his coalition parties in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Widodo said Thursday he was won re-election after receiving an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Wiranto, center, speaks to the media as National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, left, and Armed Forces Chief Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, right, listen, during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. The country's top security minister and its military and police chiefs said Thursday that they will crack down decisively on any attempts to disrupt public order while official results from presidential and legislative elections are tabulated. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Indonesian marines wait to cross a street during a patrol one day after the election at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Indonesia's top security minister and its military and police chiefs said Thursday that they will crack down decisively on any attempts to disrupt public order while official results from presidential and legislative elections are tabulated. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, pauses to be taken a photo by supporters as he leaves after a meeting with leaders of his coalition parties in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Widodo said Thursday he was won re-election after receiving an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, delivers a speech as his running mate Ma'ruf Amin, right, Chairwoman of Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle Megawati Sukarnoputri, left, and Chairman of Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto, rear right, listen during a press conference after a coalition parties meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Widodo said Thursday he was won re-election after securing an estimated 54% of the vote, backtracking on an earlier vow to wait for official results after his challenger made improbable claims of victory. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)