Indonesia marks a historic day as it seeks a new potential national leader with outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo set to officially conclude his second term in power next October.
At least 205 million registered voters out of the total Indonesian population of 270 million across 38 provinces and abroad have cast their ballots today.
Disruptions due to massive floods
However, in some regions, elections have been suspended or rescheduled due to massive floods inundating certain subdistricts in Central Java.
Heavy torrential rains in numerous areas in Greater Jakarta have also prevented voters from casting their ballots.
Fortunately, no major incidents have been reported nationwide, a relief for the entire Indonesian society given past virtual confrontations between different camps on social media.
Power sought in the administration and parliament
This election is not just about choosing the nation’s top leaders – president and vice president. Voters are also selecting 580 parliamentarians (DPR RI), and over 20,000 regional lawmakers (DPR I, DPRD II), with some 260 thousand candidates registered from 18 political parties participating in the legislative election.
The world’s largest one-day election
Indonesia’s race to power today is considered the world’s largest single-day election, involving half of the electorate aged below 40 years old.
To vote, individuals must be at least 17 years old. The election is spread across 800 thousands polling stations erected across this vast archipelagic nation.
Fortune-tellers and their ‘revelations’
While the tally to determine the winners of today’s presidential and vice presidential election is pending, numerous “fortune-tellers” on social media have publicly disclosed their “findings” predicting Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto and his VP Gibran Rakabuming Raka as the nation’s new top leaders.
If this prediction holds true, concerns voiced by political analysts about a potential deterioration of Indonesian democracy may materialize due to Gen. (ret) Prabowo’s past connections with President Suharto’s former son-in-law and allegations of human rights abuses during his military career.
Behavioral changes in Prabowo’s performance
This election marks Prabowo’s third bid for power. Unlike the 2019 election, the former military general has actively demonstrated a significant personal change, showcasing a more composed demeanor and shedding his previously temperamental image.
Jokowi’s impact on Gibran’s popularity
With a remarkable two-year hands-on experience as the mayor of Solo, successfully developing this iconic city in Central Java, Jokowi’s eldest, Gibran, has gained nationwide attention.
Official but still non-permanent “quick counts” in several provinces, as publicly shown by kawalpemilu.org, indicate that the Prabowo-Gibran pair is leading in the tally.
As polling stations close in Indonesia’s most easterly time zones, more regions in central and western areas (Bali, Java, Sumatra) will follow suit shortly.
Tally counting is expected to commence tonight in the Indonesian West Time, with preliminary results anticipated to be released late into the night.
