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General To Head Largest Muslim Democracy

February 15, 2024 15:55 IST

IMAGE: Signature moves: Prabowo Subianto and fresh-faced vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka dance after delivering their speeches at an event in Jakarta showing the quick-count results of Indonesia's general election. Photograph: Willy Kurniawan/Reuters

When Indonesia's leading presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto starts dancing everyone, especially the younger generation of voters, forget who he is.

The 72-year-old retired general, famous for his dancing TikTok videos, has charmed Indonesians into believing he is a jolly, slightly funny, lovable man and a paternal figure who can lead Indonesia strongly ahead in this century.

Not many remember he is Suharto's son-in-law. Suharto was the country's longest-serving president and a tyrant. Suharto's right-hand man and an army general, Prabowo was accused in the late 1980s of making a number pro-democracy activists mysteriously disappear and for human rights abuses in the provinces of East Timor and Papua and was denied a visa to the US. But the charges came to naught and he was not prosecuted, although he was discharged from the army.

Prabowo's suitability has been enhanced by his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is the eldest son of current and rather popular -- his popularity tumbled though after he was accused of tampering with the rules to allow his son to contest the election -- Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, known throughout his country as Jokowi.

So far the unofficial vote counts puts Prabowo far ahead in the race; his rivals former Jakarta governor Anies Beswadan and former Java governor Ganjar Pranowo are trailing behind.

If you thought conducting a general election in India is a big deal, consider the logistics of an Indonesian election.

The island archipalego country is one of the widest -- east to west -- countries in the world (wider than India, and fourth after Russia, China and Canada).

And the country, that sprawls between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, consists of 18,110 islands and has the fourth-largest population in the world at over 270 million people. It is, of course, the largest Muslim nation on the planet.

Wednesday's election for more than 20,000 seats of 200 million voters was conducted in one day, starting at 7 am in the east and finishing at 1 pm in the west, in spite of the country having three time zones.

Ballot papers zoomed between far-flung islands by plane and helicopter, as well as ox carts, speedboats and other means.

Catch a few glimpses of this fascinating election...

IMAGE: On the left is Gibran, 36. He studied in Singapore and Sydney, earning a degree in management, and began a catering business called Chilli Pari back in Indonesia, expecially for weddings.
He later started up a mutabak or spicy pancake chain, that was more successful than his father's furniture company.
Oh, he is the mayor of a town in Central Java.
Gibran's wife is Selvi Ananda; like many Indonesians she has a Hindu sounding name. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

IMAGE: Supporters gather around Prabowo. The former general grew up in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Switzerland, the UK and graduated from The American School in London before joining a military academy.
He owns the Nusantara Group that has interests in paper, pulp, petroleum, palm oil, fishing. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

IMAGE: Prabowo, flanked by Gibran, delivers a speech claiming victory. Indonesians love to vote and show off their ink-stained hands and the turn out for this election was also very good. Photograph: Willy Kurniawan/Reuters

IMAGE: Voting day is a day of celebration in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world and cafes and eateries handed out free coffee, fries, garlic bread and more for those who have voted.
Above: Prabowo and his enthusiastic supporters. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

IMAGE: Electoral officers count votes at a polling station after polls closed. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

IMAGE: Results being recorded at a polling station. Note the colourful garb of the polling staff. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

IMAGE: What fun! A woman poses at a photobooth after voting at a polling station in South Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com

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