IT'S 'DR' SBY

IT'S 'DR' SBY

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It is now official. Retired Army general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
was declared on Monday winner of the election runoff, making him
the country's first president to be directly elected since
Indonesia proclaimed its independence in 1945.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced that Susilo
and his running mate Jusuf Kalla won the election with 69,266,350
votes or 60.68 percent of total valid votes, compared to
incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri and partner Hasyim Muzadi's
39.38 percent.

Susilo, whose candidacy had raised fears of a return of the
military to the political stage, refrained from making a public
victory speech as Megawati's camp decided to contest the result
in the Constitutional Court.

The court has given the two camps three days to file election
complaints and will hear them only if the outcome is likely to
affect the final vote counting result.

Arief Wibowo of the Megawati-Hasyim camp highlighted the fact
that a number of polling stations in 12 provinces recorded more
than 300 votes, the maximum figure of voters allowed in a polling
station by the Election Law.

"In Nagrak subdistrict, Bogor regency, there were 17 polling
stations that saw a dramatic increase in the number of voters,"
Arief told the plenary meeting, referring to polling stations in
the vicinity of Susilo's private residence in Cikeas.

In the end, the Megawati-Hasyim team agreed to sign the
official results from all provinces except West Java.

The team also said that it would challenge the election result
through the Constitutional Court. "Our team of lawyers have
prepared a strong case," Arief said, without elaborating.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said that the commission
would honor any decision the team would make.

"However, the Constitutional Court will decide whether there
is a strong basis for the complaint. They could only come up with
an allegation of irregularities from two regencies," he told
reporters.

KPU also said spoiled ballots in the Sept. 20 election reached
2,405,651, while the number of people who did not exercise their
voting rights stood at around 35 million. At least 153 million
people voted in the election.

In the final tally, Susilo reigned supreme in almost all the
country's 32 provinces, even in provinces considered to be
Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
strongholds such as North Sumatra, Central Java and Yogyakarta.

Megawati came first only in four provinces Bali, East Nusa
Tenggara, Maluku and West Kalimantan.

Nazaruddin Syamsuddin, KPU chairman, hailed the result as a
victory for the world's third largest democracy, which emerged
from the autocratic grip of former president Soeharto in 1998.

"It feels like public participation has been so tremendous
that it propelled both presidential and vice-presidential
candidates toward healthy competition," Nazaruddin was quoted by
Agence-France Presse as saying.

"The fact that all three elections proceeded peacefully is a
remarkable achievement for Indonesian citizens."

However, confusion over who should make the first formal
speech on the official election result saw Susilo and Megawati
silent and cautious on Monday about future political
developments.

Susilo had planned to deliver a formal acceptance speech on
Monday evening. His team sent out text messages inviting
journalists to attend Susilo's victory speech in Cikeas, West
Java at 7 p.m. on Monday evening.

However, when journalists came at the designated time to his
private residence, Susilo, who normally looks confident, looked
baffled.

He made a short remark about the KPU confirming his lead in
the poll only after being pursued by journalists who had flocked
to his private residence in Cikeas, Bogor regency, anticipating
an official statement.

"I am grateful to God and the next step will be
reconciliation. It is time to move ahead," he told reporters.

Susilo said that reconciliation was noble in these times.

One of Susilo's confidants Maj. Gen. (ret) Djali Jusuf said
that the new president would likely deliver his acceptance speech
after the Constitutional Court wrapped up hearing complaints from
the losing candidates.

"Pak SBY honors the existing election regulations which grants
the Constitutional Court a three-day period to settle all
disputes. The speech may be given on Oct. 8 or Oct. 9," he told
reporters.

Following the KPU announcement, Megawati held a private
meeting at her private residence in Kebagusan, South Jakarta,
with Hasyim, interim minister for political and security affairs
Hari Sabarno, National Intelligence Chief A.M. Hendropriyono and
members of her campaign team.

Hasyim left the meeting early without making any statement.

Megawati was expected to give a speech at 6 p.m. about the
election results, but she canceled it without any clear reason.