Indonesians go to polls to elect new leader

Millions of Indonesian voters flocked to polls on Wednesday, casting their ballots for the next national and local leaders who will lead Southeast Asia's biggest economy in the next five years.

The polls were dubbed the world's biggest simultaneous elections on a single day with voters across the world's largest archipelago voting for a new president, vice-president as well as local legislators and members of the regional representatives council.

Three pairs are contending for the president and vice-president posts while candidates from 2,710 electoral districts are competing for a total of 20,462 seats at the country's different legislative levels.

The election was peaceful, and there are no official results yet. But a quick count streamed at The Jakarta Post showed Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto leading the race. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Subianto's running mate and the eldest son of incumbent President Joko Widodo, is also leading the vice-president race, according to the unofficial quick count.

There are over 204 million registered voters, over 50 percent of whom are under the age of 40, scattered across the vast archipelago that covers three time zones. Balloting started at 7 am and concluded at 1 pm local time.

Poll workers have started counting the votes and will report the results to the General Elections Commission, which has 35 days to announce the official results.

Daniel Johanis Taraneno, head of the election committee of Merauke in South Papua Province, said that balloting in the whole province had gone smoothly thanks to the electronic voting system.

"In Merauke, roads are so good, much better than a decade ago. Area's transportation links to other parts of the island have developed so well," Taraneno said.

In Kupang, the provincial capital of East Nusa Tenggara, voters went to the polling stations despite the rains in the morning. Amatus Bhela, an educator and social activist, said Subianto and Raka are popular among local voters because the duo promised to continue Widodo's programs, including social assistance programs.

"In Kupang and most parts of East Nusa Tenggara, people want that assistance. They see Prabowo-Gibran and they remember Jokowi (President Widodo)," Bhela said.

Lucius Karus, a senior researcher at Jakarta-based Masyarakat Peduli Parlemen, or Parliament Watch, said most voters are keen on the election of a president and vice-president than that of local lawmakers. Karus said this is because most voters believe national officials deliver more concrete programs.

Contact the writers at prime@chinadailyapac.com.

Leonardus Jegho is a freelance journalist for China Daily.