A Common Man Wins: Political Victory for Widodo
A Common Man Wins: Political Victory for Widodo
Jakarta's governor Joko Widodo has won the presidential elections of the nation with around 53% of the votes following the declatation of final electoral results in Indonesia. The former furniture exporter is known to many as "Jokowi" and he is a common man with uncommon skills. He is the first presidential candidate who bore no ties to former dictator Suharto who ruled the nation for 30 whole years and was finally shown the door in the year 1998.
Another contender was former general Prabowo Subianto who declared he was withdrawing from the contest because of an alleged fraud and that the selection process was unfair and undemocratic. The general is all set to challenge the common man who has won an uncommon victory given that this is said by many analysts to be one of the most divisive and tightly contested elections in Indonesia. According to the unofficial "quick counts" released by polling agencies following the July 9 election, Widodo has won with a slim lead of 4 percentage points. Subiano's bid for presidency did not prove third time lucky. The general with the declared assets of $140 million was not able to garner support in general though he said the polling firms linked to his campaign showed he was ahead. “We reject the 2014 presidential election which is illegitimate and therefore we withdraw from the ongoing process,” he said.
Observers of the July 9 election indicated that the proceedings were free and fair with minimal abnormalities. Professor of politics at University of Indonesia Maswadi Rauf said to media agencies that he saw no sign of significant fraud, as alleged by Subiano. Th general's rejection of the results “reflects the real attitudes of the elite, who have not yet ready to accept losing,” Rauf said. “We are still in transition to democracy, which is indeed not our culture. And what is happening indicates we still immature, we need to learn.”
Regardless of lack of experience in national politics, Widodo is seen as a man of the people and an efficient leader who wants to further the cause of democratic reforms. He was elected to run the capital in 2012. He is seen as untainted by the elite who ruled this nation for decades now . The national election commission indicated that following days of collation of more than 133 million ballots from the vast Indonesia archipelago , Widodo edged out Subiano with around 53 . 15% of the votes which is a massive margin of around 8 . 4 million votes. Voter turnout was almost 70% for this July 9th election .
Widodo who is a former furniture exporter and mayor will now take over as the president of the Indonesian nation in the month of October. President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono will now step down following a maximum of 10 years as a president and pave the way for Widodo to ascend to the post of the president. This is the final nail in the military and elite authoritarian rule for this nation as a democratic era where common man will have the most powerful voice now becomes a reality. Indonesia has many challenges before it. The $900 billion economy has declined lately amidst falling prices for mineral and commodity exports. Widodo now looks to rein in fuel subsidies and boost the country's productivity in the face of obstacles. But with his uncommon skills, he could well have be the answer to Indonesia's latest challenges and challengers.
