JAKARTA Indonesia (AP) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)A former general who was who was implicated in previous human rights violations declared victory on Wednesday in Indonesia’s presidential elections which could be a cause for concern about the dedication to democracy in the sprawling island state which is the third largest democratically-minded country.
Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is 72 was portrayed as the successor to the wildly popular President Joko Widodo who’s son was his running partner. The results were not official, but Subianto addressed thousands of supporters in the capital city, Jakarta to declare his win “the victory of all Indonesians.”
There was no official declaration from elections officials as well as the two previous province governors that also participated in the vote were not willing to concede defeat.Subianto was prohibited of entering into the United States for two decades due to his record in human rights as a general in the army during the period of brutality that was the Suharto dictatorship that was over a quarter of a century since the end of time in an archipelago separating and between the Pacific as well as the Indian oceans. He was a commander of special forces in a unit that was associated with disappearances and torture, claims which he has vehemently denied.
Based on unofficial results compiled through Indonesian electoral agencies Subianto was able to get 57%-59% the votes and more than 80 percent of the votes recorded in polling stations which were surveyed.
The quick results are basing their calculations on actual votes cast from a selection of polling locations throughout Indonesia. The official count could take at least a month but the quick count has provided an accurate view of the outcomes of the four presidential elections in Indonesia since the introduction of direct voting in 2004.
“We must not be arrogant. We shouldn’t be proud. It is not a good idea to be happy. We must remain humble. This is an achievement for all Indonesian citizens,” Subianto said in an address broadcast on the national TV from a sports stadium.
In order to avoid running off between his two rivals Subianto requires at least 50% of the votes cast and a minimum of 20 percent in each province of the country.
The successor of Widodo will have the country’s economy that has seen impressive growth and ambitious infrastructure plans, which includes the ongoing transfer of the capital of the nation from crowded Jakarta to the island bordering of Borneo for a price over $30 billion.
The vote also has huge stakes for China and the United States and China as Indonesia has a large domestic market, its own natural resources, including palm oil and nickel, as well as influence in the diplomatic arena in the country’s Southeast Asian neighbors.
Widodo’s ascendance from a riverside slum into the presidential race has demonstrated the strength of Indonesia’s democratic system in a country rife autoritarian regimes. But, given his connections to an ex-dictator as well as Widodo’s own son on the ballot certain observers are concerned that the values of democracy are declining.
The logistics of the election was a daunting task, as it involved voting across 17,000 islands, which are home to more than 270 million people. Voting boxes and ballots were carried via boat, motorbike or horse, and also by foot in remote places.
Apart from the president and the national parliamentary post, a total of 220,000 provincial, national and district parliamentary positions were being contested by tens thousands of hopefuls at the largest elections in history. Nearly 10,000 candidates from 18 political parties competed for the 580 seats in the national parliament in the midst of a tense election.
People polled with The Associated Press expressed hope that their next president would aid them in attaining more prosperity in a nation in which a large portion of the population live in poverty.
“I hope Indonesia can progress better and that I did not vote for the wrong person,” said Indra Nurohim, a 17 year old high school student who was a first-time voter. “I hope we will have a better government.”
Subianto, the oldest presidential candidate Subianto, the oldest presidential candidate, was defeated in two previous presidential contests to Widodo but was the leading candidate in independent polls. Widodo’s oldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka was able to run after his Constitutional Court made an exception to the age limit of 40.
The court was directed by Widodo’s brother in law who was then removed by an ethics committee for not recusing himself. Widodo was accused of nepotism.
Some critics have been accusing Widodo of trying to create an elite political family even though he is the first president to emerge out of the military and political elites since the conclusion of Suharto’s dictatorial reign that was marked by a plethora of inhuman rights abuses, petty theft and political turmoil.
Subianto an ex-Lieutenant general who got married to one daughter from Suharto’s family was a long-term commander in the army’s special forces known as Kopassus. He was discharged dishonorably in 1998 following the incident where Kopassus forces raped and brutally tortured political enemies of Suharto.
At at least 22 activists were abducted in the year 2000 and 13 remain missing. Their families regularly protest outside the presidential palace, demanding that the loved ones of their families be held accountable for. Subianto was never tried and denied any involvement though a few of his comrades were convicted and tried.
In the period of campaigning that was over last weekend Subianto and his team of strategists employed AI in conjunction with social media platforms like TikTok to smooth his image by portraying Subianto as a loving grandpa to his teen running partner. Dissented by human rights advocates who criticized his dance on the stage during the campaign and pledged to create nearly 20 million jobs during his inaugural term.
Anies Baswedan, who is one of the other presidential hopefuls, was the head of a Islamic university. She was also the governor of Jakarta up to last year. An ex- Fulbright researcher, Baswedan was education and minister of culture from 2014 to 2016 in which time Widodo dismissed him from Cabinet following allegations that he had accused the minister of failing to tackle issues related to the thousands of students affected by forest fires.
Baswedan is opposed to Widodo’s plans to relocate to the Indonesian capital Jakarta in the direction of Nusantara in Borneo island. The plan involves construction of government buildings and residential enclaves, which involves clearing tropical forests.
in an interview in the AP in the month of March He said that the democracy of Indonesia is in danger due to Subianto’s decision to pick the son of the president’s running partner.
“This indicates that there is a decrease in confidence. This means the democratic system is going through an erosion in the quality. This means that a lot of laws are being snubbed,” he said.
Ganjar Pranowo is a governing candidate for the party, but he does not get Widodo’s backing. He was a legislator at the national level of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle for a period of 10 years prior to being elected in 2013 to one of the two term terms as the governor of the highly voted Central Java region.
The administration of Widodo, Indonesia saw a period of astonishing growth that averaged 5percent per year, with the exception of in 2020 where the economy slowed down due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The economic plan, dubbed “Golden Indonesia 2045,” anticipates that Indonesia will be one of the world’s top five economic powers with a GDP that ranges from $ to $9 trillion. This is exactly 100 years after it achieved its independence against Dutch colonizers.
