It's a fight for second as Susilo's lead widens<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Election front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono widened his lead
\nin the provisional tallying on Tuesday, making the contest a
\nbattle for second place to challenge the retired general in the
\nrunoff.<\/p>\n
With 48.3 million votes counted by 10:30 Tuesday night, Susilo
\nhad already garnered 16.2 million or 33.52 percent of the votes.<\/p>\n
Incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is seeking a full five-
\nyear mandate, trailed behind Susilo with 26.69 percent of the
\nvote, followed by Wiranto with 22.14 percent, Amien Rais 14.43
\npercent and Hamzah Haz 3.22 percent.<\/p>\n
Susilo, who paid a brief visit to the national tabulation
\ncenter on Tuesday, expressed optimism that he would come out as
\nwinner in the first round of the election by garnering 35 percent
\nof the vote.<\/p>\n
A quick count by the National Democratic Institute (NDI)
\nshowed that Susilo, who resigned from his post as coordinating
\nminister for political and security affairs in March, would win
\nthe election with 33.9 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n
Preelection surveys suggested that Susilo would win the first
\nround of the election with more than 40 percent of the vote.<\/p>\n
At least 155 million voters were registered for the country's
\nfirst direct presidential election on July 5, but voter turnout
\nhas not been clarified.<\/p>\n
"I am ready to enter the second round of the presidential
\nelection. I am ready to face my competitor, whoever they may be.
\nIbu Mega or Pak Wiranto -- each has their own strengths and
\nweaknesses," he said.<\/p>\n
The General Elections Commission (KPU) will officially
\nannounce the results on July 26. The likely runoff is scheduled
\nto take place on Sept. 20., and the new president will be sworn
\nin on Oct. 20.<\/p>\n
While the votes trickled in, Susilo took the lead in most of
\nthe country's 33 provinces, with Megawati leading in traditional
\nstrongholds only.<\/p>\n
In East Java, a traditional stronghold of Megawati's
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Susilo garnered
\naround 4.39 million votes, coming in just behind Megawati with
\n3.48 million. Wiranto came in third with 2.88 million votes.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Susilo took the lead with 920,397 votes, followed
\nby Amien 684,453 and Megawati 547,131 votes. In West Java, Susilo
\nlead the tally with 3.2 million votes, followed by Wiranto, 2.4
\nmillion, and Megawati, 2.2 million.<\/p>\n
Megawati, however, still maintained the top position in a
\nnumber of provinces, which constitute strongholds of the PDI-P,
\nsuch as Bali, North Sumatra and Central Java.<\/p>\n
In Central Java, Megawati led with 3.5 million votes, leaving
\nSusilo behind with 3.1 million. In North Sumatra, Susilo trailed
\nwith only 242,342 votes, behind Megawati's 285,715.<\/p>\n
However, the contest between Megawati, Amien and Susilo was
\napparently tighter at overseas polling stations. In Australia for
\nexample, Megawati came in first in cities like Melbourne, Perth
\nand Sydney, while Amien took the leading position in the capital
\nCanberra.<\/p>\n
Susilo stole victory in the capital of the Northern Territory,
\nDarwin.<\/p>\n
The final result of a "quick count" conducted by the Institute
\nfor Economic and Social Research and Education in collaboration
\nwith the Washington, U.S.-based National Democratic Institute
\n(NDI) revealed that Susilo would contest the runoff after
\ngarnering 33.2 percent of the vote. However, the survey fell
\nshort of naming which candidate -- Megawati or Wiranto -- would
\nchallenge him.<\/p>\n
In a related development, a substantial number of polling
\nstations throughout the country embarked on recounts as a
\nconsequence of the double-puncture debacle that took place on
\nelection day.<\/p>\n
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, poll committees (PPS) had to hold
\nrecounts at 2,963 polling stations in 143 subdistricts.<\/p>\n
An official with the Makassar Elections Commission (KPUD) said
\nthat the recount would only be conducted for ballots that had
\nbeen rendered invalid.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, West Java, the KPUD recounted over 25,000 ballots
\nfrom 521 polling stations after witnesses deployed by candidates'
\nteams complained over the high number of invalid ballots.<\/p>\n
In Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, the local elections commission
\nsaid that recounts at over 11,000 polling stations were far from
\nover.<\/p>",
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