Susilo leads, voters hope for better future
Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta
With around 67 percent of the vote already counted on Wednesday, election front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono topped the provisional tally in the capital with 37.80 percent and is assured of entering the runoff in September.
His lead has been a hot topic of discussion among Jakartans in government offices, commercial places, coffee shops, public buses and traditional markets.
"Of course I am happy that Pak SBY has led the first round of the election. I strongly believe he will be our next president," Munandar, 36, a public minivan driver working the Tanah Abang- Kebayoran Lama route, said referring to Susilo.
Munandar claimed that he became a staunch supporter of Susilo after the latter declared his presidential bid. He said he liked Susilo, although he had never met him in person, because of the candidate's persona.
"I often watch him on the news. I like him because he looks wise... He's cool and unemotional. He never insults other people," Munandar told The Jakarta Post.
He said he hoped Susilo would win although he had no idea whether Susilo was capable of leading the country and solving the various problems faced by the nation.
Munandar was also unsure whether his family's financial condition would improve once Susilo became president.
"I hope the situation improves. But frankly, I don't know if he can lower the prices of basic commodities or school fees, which are a burden for people like myself," he said.
Susilo and running mate Jusuf Kalla had garnered 1,748,572 votes as of 8:25 p.m. from a total of 4,606,538 votes counted in the city. Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo trailed in second place with 1,287,733 votes followed by Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi with 1,037,442 votes.
The Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) chairman Muhamad Taufik said that the counting of ballots in the city was completed on Wednesday but the final result would be announced on Friday at the latest.
Taufik said that in South Jakarta, the vote count was being processed by the municipal poll committee, while in four other municipalities and the Thousand Islands regency, the data was being processed by the district poll committees.
"The KPUD will invite the campaign teams of the five presidential candidates to witness the announcement of the final result of manual ballot counting on Friday," he said.
I-box Provisional tally in Jakarta (as of 8:25 p.m.)
.RM 8.00"
Wiranto/ Megawati/ Amien/ Susilo/ Hamzah/
Solahuddin Hasyim Siswono Kalla Agum
W. Jakarta 78,235 256,624 183,520 354,594 18,398
(8.78%) (28.79%) (20.59%) (39.78%) (2.06%)
N. Jakarta 71,349 211,755 139,463 293,469 12,822
(9,79%) (29.05%) (19.13%) (40.26%) (1.76%)
C. Jakarta 51,529 136,225 168,440 189,715 12,321
(9.23%) (24.40%) (30.17%) (33.99%) (2.21%)
E. Jakarta 141,265 246,767 410,403 518,805 35,045
(18.25%) (18.25%) (30.35%) (38.37%) (2.59%)
S. Jakarta 98,791 181,455 383,325 388,770 29,677
(9.13%) (16.77%) (35.43%) (35.93%) (2.74%)
Thousand 2,897 4,616 2,582 3,219 380 Islands (21.16%) (33.71%) (18.85%) (23.51%) (2.77%)
----------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 444,066 1,037,442 1,287,733 1,748,572 108,643
(9.60%) (22.42%) (27.83%) (37.80%) (2.35%)
Voter turnout 4,626,456 of an estimated of 6.87 million voters.
Source: Jakarta General Elections Commission