Indonesian defense chief linked to past human rights abuses claims victory in presidential election

According to unofficial counts from Indonesian polling stations, Subianto had between 57% and 59% of the votes, with more than 80% of votes counted in the polling stations surveyed.

Jakarta, Indonesia: Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, an ex-general with ties to past human rights abuses, claimed victory in Indonesia's presidential election on Wednesday based on unofficial figures.

The 72-year-old candidate, who was once denied entry by the United States for two decades because of his human rights record, told thousands of supporters at a sports stadium in the capital Jakarta that the victory, according to an early The unofficial ' rapid count' was 'the victory of all Indonesians'.

There was no explanation from election officials and the two former provincial governors who also contested elections in the world's third-largest democracy have not conceded defeat.

Subianto was an army general during the brutal period of Suharto's dictatorship, which ended just over 25 years ago. He served as a special forces commander in a unit linked to torture and disappearances, allegations he strongly denies.

According to unofficial counts from Indonesian polling stations, Subianto had between 57% and 59% of the votes, with more than 80% of votes counted in the polling stations surveyed.

The rapid counts are based on the actual number of votes in a number of polling stations throughout Indonesia. The laborious official count may take another month, but rapid counts have provided an accurate picture of the results of all four presidential elections held in Indonesia since the country began direct voting in 2004.

“We are grateful for the quick counting results,” he said in the nationally televised speech. “We should not be arrogant, we should not be proud, we should not be euphoric, we should still be humble, this victory should be a victory for the entire Indonesian people.”

To avoid a second round against his rivals, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, Subianto needs more than 50% of all votes cast and at least 20% in every province of the country.

Subianto has presented himself as the heir to the immensely popular incumbent President Joko Widodo, whose son he chose as his running mate.

Widodo's successor will inherit an economy with impressive growth and ambitious infrastructure projects, including the continued transfer of the country's capital from overcrowded Jakarta to the border island of Borneo at a staggering cost of more than $30 billion.

The election also has major stakes for the United States and China, as Indonesia has a huge domestic market, natural resources such as nickel and palm oil, and diplomatic influence over its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

Widodo's rise from a riverside slum to president has showcased the vibrancy of Indonesian democracy in a region full of authoritarian regimes.

But with a leading candidate linked to a former dictator and Widodo's son on the ballot, some observers fear democracy is eroding.

Indonesians voted on Wednesday in an election that lasted just six hours. The logistics of voting across the tropical country's 17,000 islands, inhabited by 270 million people, were daunting: ballot boxes and ballot papers were transported by boat, motorcycle, horseback and on foot to some of the more remote locations.

Apart from the presidency, some 20,000 national, provincial and district parliamentary posts were contested by tens of thousands of candidates in one of the world's largest elections, which authorities said concluded without major problems. About 10,000 candidates from 18 political parties contested the 580 seats of the national parliament alone.

Voters interviewed by The Associated Press expressed hope that their next leader would help them achieve greater prosperity in a country where nearly a tenth of the population still lives in poverty.

“I hope that Indonesia can develop better and that I didn't vote for the wrong person,” said Indra Nurohim, a 17-year-old high school student and first-time voter. “I hope we get a better government.”

Subianto, at 72 the oldest presidential candidate, lost to Widodo in two previous runs but led in independent surveys. His running mate, Widodo's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was allowed to stand as a candidate when the Constitutional Court made an exception to the minimum age of 40. The court was then headed by Widodo's brother-in-law, who was dismissed due to an ethics issue. panel for not rejecting himself, and Widodo was accused of favoritism and nepotism.

Critics have accused Widodo of trying to build a political dynasty despite being the first president to emerge outside the political and military elite since the end of Suharto's dictatorial rule in 1998, which was marked by widespread human rights abuses, plunder and political upheaval.

Subianto, a former lieutenant general who married one of Suharto's daughters, was a longtime commander in the army's special forces called Kopassus. He was dishonorably discharged in 1998 after Kopassus forces kidnapped and tortured Suharto's political opponents.

Of the at least 22 activists kidnapped that year, thirteen remain missing to this day, and their families protest weekly outside the presidential palace demanding that the activists be taken into account. Subianto never faced trial and denied any involvement, although several of his men were tried and convicted.

During the campaign period that ended last weekend, Subianto and his strategists used AI and social media platforms such as TikTok to soften his image, portraying him as a cuddly grandfather to his youthful running mate. Rejected by human rights activists, he danced on the campaign stage and promised to generate nearly 20 million jobs in his first term if elected.

Baswedan, a former head of an Islamic university, was governor of Jakarta until last year. Baswedan, a former Fulbright scholar, was minister of education and culture from 2014 to 2016, when Widodo removed him from the cabinet after accusing him of failing to address the problems of thousands of students affected by forest fires.

Baswedan opposes Widodo's plan to move Indonesia's capital from Jakarta to Nusantara on the island of Borneo, building government buildings and residential enclaves by clearing lush tropical rainforests.

In an interview with the AP last month, he said democracy in Indonesia was under threat given Subianto's choice of the president's son as his running mate.

“This means that trust is declining, it means that our democracy is experiencing a decline in quality, it means that many rules of law are being bent,” he said.

Pranowo is a candidate for the ruling party, but does not receive the support of Widodo. He served as a national lawmaker for Indonesia's ruling Democratic Struggle Party for a decade before being elected in 2013 for the first of two terms as governor of the vote-rich Central Java region.

While he was governor, Pranowo refused to allow Israel to participate in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup held in his province. FIFA subsequently dropped Indonesia as host of the games, angering Indonesian football fans and Widodo.

Israel and Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, have no diplomatic ties.

Under Widodo, Indonesia enjoyed a period of remarkable growth averaging 5% per year, except for 2020, when the economy shrank due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His economic roadmap, called 'Golden Indonesia 2045', predicts that Indonesia will become one of the world's five largest economies with a gross domestic product of up to $9 trillion, exactly a century after the country gained independence from Dutch colonists.