Observers: Indonesian election free of tampering

Indonesia's election was largely free and fair, independent observers said Thursday, as preliminary results showed the president had easily won enough votes to govern for another five years.

Early returns showed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had more than 60 percent of the votes, more than enough to avoid a September runoff.

But the campaign of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri on Thursday alleged that Yudhoyono's Democratic Party committed electoral fraud. Without providing proof, they questioned the validity of quick counts after polling and threatened to contest the final results, raising fears of political deadlock in this predominantly Muslim nation of 235 million.

But observers said Wednesday's election process had been a success.

"So far there is no evidence of systematic or massive fraud," said Nico Harjanto of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noting even if all the contested votes were awarded to Yudhoyono's opponents, the president would still win.

The result was welcomed by the United States, which works closely with Jakarta to counter the threat of Islamist militancy and seeks to mend ties with the Muslim world. American businesses have significant holdings in the resource-rich country, Southeast Asia's largest economy.

US Ambassador Cameron Hume congratulated Yudhoyono, saying in a statement that the peaceful vote "demonstrated the commitment of Indonesians to their vibrant democracy."