Neighbors lend support

Neighbors lend support

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Polling Station No. 046 in Kebagusan, South Jakarta, suddenly
came to life when President Megawati Soekarnoputri and members of
her family arrived at 11 a.m. on Monday to cast their votes.

Hundreds of people clapped their hands, excited to see
Megawati, who has been living in the area for years.

"I will still vote for her because she is our neighbor. Why
vote for someone else?" local resident Effendi said after
Megawati had cast her vote.

Megawati was accompanied by husband Taufik Kiemas, her
children, grandchildren and sister Kartika Soekarnoputri.

According to Effendi, most older people in the Kebagusan area
still supported Megawati. "Only young people go for SBY," said
Effendi, referring to Megawati's rival, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

In Polling Station No. 046, Megawati and running mate Hasyim
Muzadi received 195 votes, compared to the 78 votes for Susilo
and running mate Jusuf Kalla. However, of the 19 polling stations
across the area, Megawati won in five polling stations only.

The Susilo-Kalla ticket won by a landslide of 206 to 13 votes
for Mega at Polling Station No. 05 in Cikeas, Bogor, located near
Susilo's residence.

Susilo, accompanied by wife Kristiani Herawati, came to the
polling station at around 8:30 a.m. on foot. He said after
casting his vote that he was optimistic about winning the final
round of the country's first ever direct presidential election.

At Polling Station No. 001 in the Widya Chandra housing
complex, where many high-ranking state officials reside, the
Susilo-Kalla pair took 131 votes compared to Megawati's 72 votes.
Six ballots were declared invalid.

State officials casting their votes at Poll Station No. 001
included People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais,
House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung, Chief
Justice Bagir Manan and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno.

Meanwhile, at the nearby Polling Station No. 002, Susilo also
defeated Megawati, garnering 100 votes, compared to the
incumbent's 91 votes. Six ballots were declared invalid.

The Susilo-Kalla ticket also won at Polling Station No. 030,
where Vice President Hamzah Haz cast his vote. Susilo and
Megawati received 119 and 91 votes respectively.

Megawati's running mate Hasyim Muzadi cast his ballot at
Polling Station No. 27 in Lowokwaru, Malang, East Java.