Indonesian Prez Widodo re-elected, rival cries foul

Jakarta, May 21 

Thousands of soldiers fanned out across Jakarta on Tuesday after the surprise early announcement of official results in Indonesia’s election showed Joko Widodo re-elected leader of the world’s third-biggest democracy.

The election commission had been due to give the final tally of the divisive poll on Wednesday, but the results were revealed early Tuesday with little advance notice amid fears of unrest.

Presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto had warned of possible mass uprisings in response to his claims of widespread cheating.

There was a heavy security presence in Jakarta on Tuesday, including in front of the elections commission office, which was barricaded with razor wire and protected by scores of heavily armed troops.

Subianto, a 67-year-old retired general, has targeted the commission by accusing it of allowing a string of election violations.

The former military man, who has strong ties to the Suharto dictatorship that collapsed in 1998, has kept up a steady string of rhetoric since unofficial results for the April 17 poll put bitter rival Widodo ahead by a wide margin. Widodo, who had held off declaring victory after last month’s polls, confirmed the win on Tuesday. “After we’re sworn in... we will be president and vice-president,” Widodo said in Jakarta. — AFP

Opponent Prabowo’s campaign vows lawsuit  

• The election commission confirmed unofficial counts by private pollsters in the April 17 election, giving Widodo a 55.5% share of votes against 44.5% for Prabowo Subianto (pic)
• Widodo won more than 85 million votes of a total of 154 million cast in the world’s third-largest democracy, but Prabowo said he believed there had been widespread cheating 
• The retired General pledged he would “continue to make legal efforts in line with the constitution to defend the mandate of the people for the country”