JAKARTA: Former general Prabowo Subianto claimed victory in Indonesia’s presidential election on Wednesday as preliminary results put him well ahead of his two rivals to lead Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

Polls have long shown the fiery defence minister to be the favourite after he pledged to carry on the agenda of popular outgoing leader Joko Widodo, who is accused of inappropriately backing his campaign and whose son is Subianto’s running mate.

“All counts, all pollsters… showed figures that Prabowo-Gibran won in one round,” he told a cheering crowd of supporters at a packed arena in central Jakarta, referring to his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who stood beside him in a matching checked shirt.

“This victory should be a victory for all Indonesians.”

Millennials and Gen-Zers make up more than half the electorate

Official results are not due until next month but at least four government-approved groups — making projections based on official early tallying — showed Subianto winning around 57 per cent for a clear majority in one round.

While claiming victory, Subianto stressed “we must still wait for KPU’s official result”, referring to the election commission.

“We believe Indonesian democracy is running well. The people have determined, the people have decided,” he told supporters.

Subianto, who was a military chief during the Suharto dictatorship a generation ago, needs more than 50pc vote and at least a fifth of ballots cast in over half the country’s 38 provinces to secure the presidency.

The 72-year-old, who pushed street protests and launched legal challenges after losing the previous two elections, thanked his supporters and called for unity. “Now the campaign is over, we must unite again.”

The government-approved polling groups’ “quick counts” have also been used in previous elections by candidates to claim victory. The pollsters take samples at selected voting stations after polls have closed, and are allowed to watch the count by election officials.

Key youth support

Subianto’s military service was a deciding factor for some voters. “He has a military background, so I think he will be a decisive leader,” said Afhary Firnanda, a 28-year-old office worker in Jakarta.

He was dismissed from the military in 1998 over accusations he ordered the abduction of democracy activists at the end of Suharto’s rule, but he denied the allegations and was never charged.

He has since rehabilitated his image, thanks in part to a savvy social media campaign targeting Indonesia’s youth that portrayed him as a “cuddly grandpa”. That strategy appears to have paid off, as the ex-general acknowledged the youth vote helped him win in a country where millennials and Gen-Zers make up more than half the electorate.

“I would like to say thanks to the young people, who are key supporters,” he said in his speech.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2024