President-elect Prabowo Subianto extended an olive branch to his election rivals on Wednesday, declaring “the contest [...] over” and appealing for unity and close collaboration among the nation’s political elite in a speech marking the end of all presidential election disputes.
The 74-year-old defense minister was officially certified as the winner of the Feb. 14 polls after two weeks of courtroom drama that saw the Constitutional Court throw out legal challenges to his decisive single-round victory against competitors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) certified Prabowo and Gibran’s win after the court justices made a sweeping rejection of allegations that the race was marred by fraud and state intervention.
Prabowo is set to take over the top job in October from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, the ever-popular leader who was accused of offering him tacit support and unfairly swaying the poll in his favor. The justices ruled that there was no convincing evidence to support these claims.
With vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka – Jokowi’s son – at his side, the Gerindra Party chairman said it was time to leave any and all hostilities regarding the election behind.
“This most important of contests has come to an end. From here on, the people expect all its leaders to work together to bring about welfare and prosperity, end poverty, hunger and corruption in Indonesia,” Prabowo said in his remarks.
“I will prove that I will work and fight for all Indonesians, including those who did not vote for me.”
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