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 Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, named the winner of Wednesday's disputed
election by several non-partisan pollsters who have been accurate in
the past, also displayed fledgling presidential credentials at a
news conference, condemning Israel's Gaza offensive.
Both Jokowi and rival candidate, former general Prabowo Subianto,
claimed victory in the election, the closest ever such contest in
the world's third biggest democracy.
The Elections Commission is to announce the official result around
July 22.
"We ask everyone's cooperation to now safeguard the election result
from yesterday until the official result by (the Elections
Commission)...I would to ask everyone not to taint the sincerity of
Indonesian society's aspirations in the election," he told
reporters, a clear reference to fears of tampering with the votes
cast.
Prabowo has accused his opponent of jumping the gun by claiming
victory before the final count.
He cited different, unnamed quick counts as putting him ahead.
The quick counts are conducted by private agencies approved by the
Elections Commission which collate actual vote tallies as they come
out of each district. The results however are unofficial.
On Wednesday night, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged both
candidates to keep their supporters in check during the agonizing
wait for the official result.
About 250,000 police were on alert across the sprawling archipelago,
the world's fourth-most populous nation, but there were no reports
of violence. Home to the world's largest Muslim population, much of
the country is engaged in the Ramadan fasting month when followers
of the religion are exhorted to focus on spiritual matters.
"In my opinion the country is now divided into two camps .... We
leave it to the Election Commission now to announce the results. I
don't expect to see violence because we've been told to keep calm,"
said Johan, 45, in the West Java capital Bandung.
West Java, the country's most populous province, was seen as a key
battleground for the election and where conservative Islamic parties
backing Prabowo hold considerable sway. But some quick counts showed
that Prabowo only won the province by a narrow margin.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy and a member of the G-20
group of nations, was swept by violence in which hundreds of people
were killed when strongman ruler Suharto was ousted in 1998 after
over three decades in power. It has since made a slow transition to
full democracy, with this only its third direct presidential
election.
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MARKETS BELIEVE JOKOWI WON
Indonesian financial markets surged in the belief that the
unassuming Jokowi, who is seen as a representative of the common man
and the face of reform, had won.
His opponent Prabowo is seen as a last gasp of the old guard and his
nationalist rhetoric and suggestions of a greater state role in the
economy has worried many investors.
Jakarta stocks rose to a one-year high on expectations and the
rupiah also strengthened against the dollar.
"We expect investors (particularly foreign) to start pricing in a
Jokowi win immediately and both bond and equity markets along with
the rupiah should do well," said Jakarta-based brokerage Trimegah
Securities in a research note.
The Jakarta Stock Exchange climbed more than 2 percent to an
intraday high of 5,165.42 by 0234 GMT, the highest since May 30,
2013. The market is up nearly 20 percent so far this year.
The rupiah also rose, climbing to a seven-week high against the
dollar at 11,520 despite the uncertainty.
"It seems like the market will rise in the next couple of days, but
it may not sustain the gain until there is an official result from
the KPU," said Jeffrosenberg Tan, a director at Sinar Mas Asset
Management, referring to Indonesia's Elections Commission.
The presidential race has been the dirtiest and most confrontational
in a country which traditionally holds up the value of consensus
politics.
Jokowi took an early step onto the international political stage by
condemning Israel's offensive in Gaza. Indonesia has long supported
the Palestinian cause and does not have diplomatic relations with
Israel.
"Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip...is a violation of human
rights," he said.
(Additional reporting by Lewa Pardomuan in Bandung; Writing by Randy
Fabi; Editing by Jonathan Thatcher and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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