Jakarta: high tensions a day before the results of the presidential election are announced
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Political tensions are growing as the country waits for the Indonesian Election Commission to make its official announcement tomorrow.
Outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the two contenders to accept the verdict without going to court. Otherwise, the risk is to place Indonesia in a deadlock it "can ill afford".
Retired General Prabowo Subianto and Joko "Jokowi" Widodo are the two contenders. The former said that in case of defeat, he would challenge the result before the Constitutional Court. Alleged electoral fraud is their main bone of contention.
Both presidential candidates, and their deputies Jusuf Kalla and Hatta Radjasa, called on their supporters to remain vigilant during vote counting at polling stations to prevent fraud or tampering.
For his part, Yudhoyono invited the candidates and the country's highest authorities for dinner last night, calling on everyone to remain calm before and after the Commission's pronouncement.
"If our nation is divided because of either side because of dissatisfaction with the result, we will have a huge price to pay."
Meanwhile, the government has deployed tens of thousands of police and soldiers on the streets of Jakarta, where an air of uncertainty prevails.
"I ran to the supermarket to buy necessities because some friends advised me that clashes like those of May 1998 are a real possibility," said Clarisse, a young ethnic Chinese doctor.
Sixteen years ago, Sino-Indonesians were blamed for the economic crisis, and became the victims of attacks and in some cases, rape.
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