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.