Court confirms Susilo's victory

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Constitutional Court confirmed Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's election victory on Thursday as incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri left the public guessing whether she would accept the result.

Megawati and running mate Hasyim Muzadi did not file any complaint with the Constitutional Court by the 4:20 p.m deadline on Thursday, prompting the court to declare the result announced by the KPU last Monday as final and binding.

"The Constitutional Court confirms that the election result as announced by KPU is final and binding. There is no more legal- constitutional effort available to change the result," said court president Jimly Asshiddiqie.

The KPU announced on Monday that Susilo and Yusuf Kalla had won the runoff with 69.2 million or 60.68 percent of valid votes cast in the Sept. 20 election, compared to Megawati's 39.38 percent.

Citing counting irregularities, Megawati's camp had planned to file a complaint with the court, but by 4:20 p.m. on Thursday her team of lawyers had not shown up.

Rumors have been circulating since Monday that Megawati would make a public speech accepting defeat at 1 p.m. on Thursday, but it did not materialize, leaving the public guessing whether or not Mega would ever accept the result.

Her close aides said on Thursday that Megawati and Hasyim had accepted the final outcome of the country's first direct presidential election.

Pramono Anung Wibowo, deputy secretary-general of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said on Thursday that Megawati had clearly accepted her defeat.

"The fact that we did not file a complaint with the Constitutional Court means that Ibu sees that the process went on as it should have," Pramono told The Jakarta Post.

"The main point is that Ibu Mega and Pak Hasyim want to see a smooth transition of power and the installation of the new president on Oct. 20 go ahead as planned," Pramono said.

One day after the KPU announced Susilo's election victory, Megawati called on the public to accept the result, but still refrained from conceding defeat.

Megawati's campaign team said on Thursday that they accepted the result of the presidential runoff but expressed disappointment over irregularities during vote counting in some regions.

The team, headed by PDI-P secretary-general Sutjipto, said that it would not bring the irregularities to the Constitutional Court given the fact that the number of disputed votes was not significant.

"We accept the poll result, but would like our comments noted. We will not bring it to the Constitutional Court because the disputed votes are estimated at only around 2.3 million," campaign team secretary Heri Akhmadi told the press here on Thursday.

Sutjipto said that his team was not in a position to congratulate Susilo.

He said he did not know when Megawati would deliver her speech to accept her election defeat.

"That is a personal matter. I think Bu Megawati or Pak Hasyim will give a response, congratulations, or something else. As a campaign team, we think our statement is enough," he said.