Optimism marks historic election

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Over 130 million voters flocked to more than 570,000 polling stations across the country on Monday in the country's first direct election since it declared independence from the Netherlands in 1945.

The elections, which mark a nearly complete transition to democracy after six years of ups and downs since authoritarian leader Soeharto stepped down, ran smoothly and peacefully from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m..

Previously, presidents and vice presidents were elected by the few hundred members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

As of 10:30 p.m. Monday, election frontrunner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono led with 32.94 percent of votes after just 2.5 percent had been counted.

Trailing him were incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri at 27.26 percent, Wiranto with 22.52 percent, Amien Rais on 13.91 percent and bringing up the rear was Hamzah Haz with just over 3 percent.

The final results are scheduled to be officially announced on or before July 26.

Over 155 million people were registered as eligible voters for the July 5 elections. If no candidate garners at least 50 percent, a second round with the top two will be held on Sept. 20.

The new president and his or her running mate are expected to take their oaths of office on Oct. 20.

Residents of neighboring Tangerang, Banten appeared more enthusiastic about voting on Monday than they were during the April 5 legislative election.

"Dozens of residents were already lined up 30 minutes before we opened the polling station," Achmad Fauzie, a committee member at a station in Pondok Ranji district, told The Jakarta Post.

Residents of Palu and Donggala, both in Central Sulawesi, said that they would be regretful for the rest of their life, if they did not exercise their right to vote in the historic first direct presidential election.

"I feel like a free man because I can make my choice based on my own opinion without any direction from anybody," Elia M, 35, told the Post after casting her vote.

Stella Angraeni, 21, a resident of Kalukubula village in Donggala, said she felt a sense of empowerment as well.

"As I entered the booth, I opened the ballot paper wide, cast my vote and went home. I felt like I had done something important for my country," she said.

Thousands of voters in western Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara province arrived at polling stations early in the morning, while residents of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, who have been suffering from drought, still eagerly lined up to choose the president.

"I have to vote. It's an important event for our country," said Bustomi, a man who was lining up for water along with his wife and three children.

Susanto, a resident of Jambi, arrived at a polling station near his house at about 11 a.m.

"I don't want to miss the election because my vote counts for the future of Indonesia," he said.

The magnitude of the first presidential election, however, failed to impress Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, an influential cleric of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), as he did not vote.

"I don't want to vote for any candidates because I already decided to stay out of the system," Gus Dur said at NU headquarters on Jl. Kramat in Central Jakarta, where he spent the entire day on Monday.

Meanwhile, only two of the 33 imprisoned terrorists who have been sentenced under the Law on Terrorism for their roles in the Bali bombings chose to vote on Monday.

Mohammad Yunus and Muhajir, both relatively minor players, voted at Kerobokan prison near Denpasar, chief warden Tulus Wijayanto was quoted by the Detikcom online news service as saying.

The 31 others -- including Imam Samudra, Mukhlas and Amrozi, who have been sentenced to death -- took a rain check. "They said they had the right not to vote also. We cannot force them," Wijayanto said.

Polling stations in Palembang, South Sumatra looked quiet as officers, witnesses and observers were waiting for voters.

Palembang General Election Commission (KPUD) chairman Khairul Muchlis said there was no waiting at polling stations as voters found no technical difficulties and went through very quickly.

"The voting process was very quick and easy this time, compared to the legislative election. Most people took less than a minute to cast their votes," he said.