Official results show Susilo is president of Indonesia
Final results expected later on Monday
Jakarta (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono thanked Indonesians on Monday for electing him as the next president. In brief remarks to reporters, Yudhoyono did not explicitly declare victory but spoke just after preliminary final results from the election commission showed he had crushed incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri in the Sept 20. presidential run-off. Official results of the Sept. 20 election from 31 out of Indonesia's 32 provinces showed Yudhoyono with an unassailable lead of 24 million votes over incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri, said Election Commission spokeswoman Valina Singka Subekti. Results from the 32nd province, West Irian Jaya, were expected later Monday, Subekti said. There are about 300,000 voters in that province. SYB is leading provisional results of the presidential election with 60.88 per cent against 39.11 per cent for President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Yudhoyono has said his priorities are fixing the economy, which is growing much slower than Indonesia's neighbors; cracking down on graft; providing jobs and fighting terrorism. The U.S-educated four star general will be inaugurated Oct. 20. Few are expecting instant solutions to the country's problems, but Yudhoyono's choice of Cabinet, due to be announced after Oct. 20, could set the tone for his administration.
The election was the first in which Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, voted for their president directly. The ballot, which was peaceful and free of irregularities, was praised as a key step in the country's transition to democracy after the downfall of ex-dictator Suharto in 1998.
Yudhoyono will be Indonesia's sixth president, and the fourth since Suharto's downfall amid nationwide riots and pro-democracy protests.
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21/10/2004
