President Prabowo’s coalition set to win big in Indonesia’s regional elections; Jakarta could see run-off next year

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and parties from his Advance Indonesia Coalition (KIM Plus) are on track for a resounding win in the country’s first simultaneous regional elections on Wednesday (Nov 27), though it’s a different picture in capital Jakarta.

An outcome of the ruling coalition sweeping key battlegrounds but losing in Jakarta signals Mr Prabowo’s strong influence in most of the archipelago, and the waning of his rival’s – Mdm Megawati Soekarnoputri, who’s chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Indonesia’s former president.

According to “quick counts” by various pollsters, KIM Plus’ candidates look set to sweep the key battleground provinces of West Java, Central Java, East Java and North Sumatra.

The gubernatorial three-horse race in the capital Jakarta is still uncertain though the PDI-P’s Mr Pramono Anung is leading, with various quick counts showing he has just under, or over, 50 per cent of the vote. 

Jakarta is the only province for which the race will head into a run-off early next year, if no candidate secures over half the vote.

KIM Plus’ Jakarta candidate Ridwan Kamil is behind with nearly 40 per cent of the vote, while independent candidate Dharma Pongrekun has secured about 10 per cent. 

“From the results of the exit polls and quick counts, which are at about 85 per cent, they show that we are ahead in various regions in Jakarta, almost in all areas,” said Mr Pramono, 61, in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.

“Quick counts show that the margin of error is plus or minus 1 per cent. So whether this goes into one round or two, we will be able to find out tonight,” he said.

“We will wait for the real count results, hopefully we can get it soon.”