Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has defeated Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri in a historic direct election but now has to deliver on promises of tighter security, better government and more jobs. As of early Tuesday, Yudhoyono had yet to claim victory after Monday's run-off, but he had won 60 percent of the ballots with about half the vote counted. Megawati had 40 percent.
In past elections, early counting has proved a reliable guide to final results and pre-election polls as well as an independent survey of Monday's vote also forecast a Yudhoyono victory. Indonesia's financial markets strengthened on Tuesday after the peaceful conclusion to a long election season in the world's most populous Muslim nation and on expectations the market-friendly Yudhoyono, 55, will appoint a strong cabinet. The stock market hit an intra-day record in early trade before losing some gains on profit taking, while the rupiah currency was trading at around 8,990 to the dollar, above Monday afternoon levels of just over 9,000.
Many expect Yudhoyono to retain Megawati's well-respected finance minister, Boediono, in his cabinet, although it could be more than a week before any cabinet announcement comes. "I'm thinking of forming ... the cabinet when I'm sure that I would win this election. Probably 10 days from now, I will be knowing that based on the count," Yudhoyono said on Monday. "Of course, before the inauguration, I will at least dispatch the main nominees," he said referring to the October 20 ceremony. |