Stability seen as key factor in Indonesia poll

The imminent victory of Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia's presidential elections is seen to preserve political and economic stability in the country, with analysts noting that the candidate will continue the policies of the incumbent President Joko Widodo.

The General Elections Commission is yet to declare the official results of the Feb 14 elections, but quick counts by the country's top surveyors revealed that Subianto, the defense minister, has secured around 58 percent of votes, while his rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo obtained 25 percent and 16 percent respectively.

Candidates for president and vice-president are voted under a single ticket in Indonesian elections. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo's son, is running as Subianto's vice-president.

Subianto, a three-time presidential candidate, declared victory in Indonesia's presidential election on Wednesday night.

"This is a victory for all Indonesian people. But I want to say that although we win, we should not be arrogant, we must stay humble. And I will embrace all parties," Subianto told thousands of his supporters at the Istora Senayan sports stadium in Jakarta.

Arya Fernandes, head of the department of politics and social change at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta, said Subianto and Raka's wide lead against their rivals lends "legitimacy (to Subianto and Raka) and at the same time it gives the duo self-confidence".

Fernandes said Subianto's election as the country's eighth president will ensure a stable political situation and continuity, noting Subianto's campaign promise that he would continue Widodo's programs.

Widodo, who has been serving as president for 10 years, is stepping down from his post later this year with a nearly 80 percent approval rating.

He is widely credited for Indonesia's massive infrastructure development, including the construction of the China-funded high-speed railway- a first in Southeast Asia.

Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said Subianto's decision to run with the 36-year-old Raka is "a political masterstroke to capture as much of the youth vote as possible".

There are over 204 million registered voters in Indonesia, over 50 percent of whom are under the age of 40.

Mustafa said Indonesia's youth can be considered kingmaker in this year's elections, especially with the help of popular social media platforms where the Subianto-Raka pair campaigned heavily.

ASEAN supporter

Mustafa said Subianto's presidency will also bode well for regional stability, ensuring that Indonesia will remain a staunch supporter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

With the unofficial counts showing that Subianto crossed the benchmark of more than half of the total votes for the presidency, it can be concluded that Subianto "has won this election on a one-round basis by a landslide", Jeffrosenberg Chenlim, head of research at Maybank Sekuritas, said.

Chenlim wrote in his research notes that a one-round election in Indonesia is the "best outcome for the market" as this will discourage opponents from pursuing serious election lawsuits.

"With a one-round election instead of two, Prabowo's government will preserve more political power so it does not need to share much of its power with opposition parties," he said.

Apart from electing the president and vice-president, voters also cast their ballots for local lawmakers in the elections on Wednesday. The election was peaceful, and civic leaders have called on citizens to maintain peace and harmony.

Marsudi Syuhud, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, said Indonesians have to remain patient and optimistic while waiting for the release of official election results.

Xinhua News Agency contributed to this story.

Leonardus Jegho is a freelance journalist for China Daily.