Jakarta, NU Online
Deputy governor Fauzi Bowo and his running mate Prijanto look set to win Jakarta's first-ever direct gubernatorial election after storming ahead in the preliminary vote count Wednesday.
Despite fears of low voter turnout, around two-thirds of the city's 5.7 million registered voters voted in the poll, which was carried out with few disturbances.<>
With most offices giving their employees the morning off, streets began to clog up in the afternoon as shopping malls opened for business later than usual.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Firman said no clashes broke out between the rival sides, with tens of thousands of police and other personnel deployed to safeguard the historic vote.
Fauzi, who is backed by 19 political parties, won 58 percent of the 1.8 million ballots so far entered with the poll body's data center.
Contrary to some doubts, Fauzi managed to lead the preliminary count in all five of the city's municipalities and Kepulauan Seribu regency. That result includes East and South Jakarta, well-known strongholds of the Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the only major party backing Fauzi's rival, Adang Daradjatun.
The early count put Adang behind by margins of 13 and 15 percent in East and South Jakarta respectively.
The Jakarta Elections Commission is scheduled to announce the official result on Aug. 16.
"My victory is Jakartans' victory," Fauzi said.
PKS president Tifatul Sembiring said it was too early for Fauzi to claim a victory, saying the Adang campaign would wait for the final count.
"Counting is not over yet and we'll keep our hopes up until the final process (is complete)," he was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.
The poll body said between 70 and 80 percent of registered voters participated on polling day, despite some residents complaining of incomplete preparations.
Commission head Juri Ardiantoro conceded many residents were angered by organizational shortfalls that prevented them from voting.
"All I can say is that we're sorry to those who couldn't vote today but people can't take any legal action about this because it hasn't been regulated (by the government)," he said while receiving a group of residents from Matraman, South Jakarta, who reported that 84 local residents been left off the local voter list.
The Institute of Research, Education and Information on Social and Economic Affairs had earlier estimated voter turnout would be 66 percent. The estimate was higher than some urban areas last year, such as Surabaya where turnout was only 51 percent and Medan where it was 55 percent.
The PKS was the most successful party in Jakarta in the 2004 legislative election, winning 24 percent of the 4 million votes counted.
The 2004 election saw a voter turnout of around 71 percent.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is from Golkar, one of Fauzi's supporting parties, congratulated the candidate on the preliminary result.
Kalla and his wife Mufidah cast their votes at a polling station in the upmarket Menteng area in Central Jakarta.
Retired police general Adang who voted near his house in Cipete, South Jakarta, appeared relaxed about his chances. "Winning or losing is a normal thing, I'll just leave it to the Almighty. The most important thing is democracy itself, where people decide their own leaders," he said.
His running mate Dani Anwar voted in Kebon Melati in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. (dar)
Deputy governor Fauzi Bowo and his running mate Prijanto look set to win Jakarta's first-ever direct gubernatorial election after storming ahead in the preliminary vote count Wednesday.
Despite fears of low voter turnout, around two-thirds of the city's 5.7 million registered voters voted in the poll, which was carried out with few disturbances.<>
With most offices giving their employees the morning off, streets began to clog up in the afternoon as shopping malls opened for business later than usual.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Firman said no clashes broke out between the rival sides, with tens of thousands of police and other personnel deployed to safeguard the historic vote.
Fauzi, who is backed by 19 political parties, won 58 percent of the 1.8 million ballots so far entered with the poll body's data center.
Contrary to some doubts, Fauzi managed to lead the preliminary count in all five of the city's municipalities and Kepulauan Seribu regency. That result includes East and South Jakarta, well-known strongholds of the Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the only major party backing Fauzi's rival, Adang Daradjatun.
The early count put Adang behind by margins of 13 and 15 percent in East and South Jakarta respectively.
The Jakarta Elections Commission is scheduled to announce the official result on Aug. 16.
"My victory is Jakartans' victory," Fauzi said.
PKS president Tifatul Sembiring said it was too early for Fauzi to claim a victory, saying the Adang campaign would wait for the final count.
"Counting is not over yet and we'll keep our hopes up until the final process (is complete)," he was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.
The poll body said between 70 and 80 percent of registered voters participated on polling day, despite some residents complaining of incomplete preparations.
Commission head Juri Ardiantoro conceded many residents were angered by organizational shortfalls that prevented them from voting.
"All I can say is that we're sorry to those who couldn't vote today but people can't take any legal action about this because it hasn't been regulated (by the government)," he said while receiving a group of residents from Matraman, South Jakarta, who reported that 84 local residents been left off the local voter list.
The Institute of Research, Education and Information on Social and Economic Affairs had earlier estimated voter turnout would be 66 percent. The estimate was higher than some urban areas last year, such as Surabaya where turnout was only 51 percent and Medan where it was 55 percent.
The PKS was the most successful party in Jakarta in the 2004 legislative election, winning 24 percent of the 4 million votes counted.
The 2004 election saw a voter turnout of around 71 percent.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is from Golkar, one of Fauzi's supporting parties, congratulated the candidate on the preliminary result.
Kalla and his wife Mufidah cast their votes at a polling station in the upmarket Menteng area in Central Jakarta.
Retired police general Adang who voted near his house in Cipete, South Jakarta, appeared relaxed about his chances. "Winning or losing is a normal thing, I'll just leave it to the Almighty. The most important thing is democracy itself, where people decide their own leaders," he said.
His running mate Dani Anwar voted in Kebon Melati in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. (dar)
