JAKARTA, Feb 16 — World leaders including Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have congratulated Prabowo Subianto, who looks set to win Indonesia’s presidential election after an unofficial quick count showed him to be well ahead.
Prabowo shared on his social media that he had received phone calls on Thursday congratulating him as the official election results continue to be tallied.
Apart from Anwar, other leaders were Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala also congratulated Prabowo after securing over 50 per cent of the votes in the quick count, ensuring victory in the presidential election without a runoff.
Prabowo-Gibran Rakabuming Raka Campaign Communication chief Budisatrio reportedly said these congratulatory greetings underscore the recognition of Indonesia’s smooth democratic process by world leaders.
“The recognition also signifies their willingness to maintain bilateral cooperation with the elected president, building on the foundation laid by President Joko Widodo over the past decade,” he said.
According to Litbang Kompas, with 95.95 per cent of the voting sample counted, Prabowo-Gibran secured 58.48 per cent of the votes, while Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD received 25.26 per cent and 16.27 per cent, respectively.
Data from the General Election Commission website pemilu2024.kpu.go.id at 11 am Friday showed that the Prabowo-Gibran pair leads with 56.85 per cent of the votes, covering 51.28 percent of the progress in vote counting.
Meanwhile, Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) has concluded that Prabowo-Gibran won the election in a landslide victory based on quick counts by surveyors like Litbang Kompas.
The bank said the outcome is highly beneficial for the securities market, ensuring stable election results and reducing the risk of legal disputes.
“In a single-round election, Prabowo’s administration is expected to have greater political power, diminishing the need for power-sharing with opposition parties,” Maybank IB stated in a note.
The focus has now shifted to the formation of the Cabinet, with market observers closely monitoring the process, particularly the balance between political and technocratic appointments.
Cabinet portfolios that would influence market dynamics include the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Finance Ministry, State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, of Public Works and Housing Ministry, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Health Ministry and Communications and Informatics Ministry, it added.
— Bernama
