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It’s crunch time
Politicians, political parties and government institutions have all made last-minute calls for voters to cast their ballots and for election organizers to ensure free and fair elections.
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A volunteer encourages people at Car Free Day in Jakarta on Sunday to go to polling stations to vote in the legislative and presidential elections on April 17. (The Jakarta Post/Wendra Ajistyatama)
M
ore than 190 million Indonesians will go to some 800,000 polling stations between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. to choose between two presidential tickets and hundreds of candidates for the House of Representatives, the Regional Representative Council (DPD) and the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD).
For President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, who are competing for the presidency, this will be the culmination of seven months of campaigning and years of preparations as both candidates were named presumptive nominees as early as 2017.
The election will be a rematch of the 2014 presidential race, which Jokowi won with 53.2 percent of the vote.
This time, Jokowi is running with Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma’ruf Amin, while Prabowo has former deputy Jakarta governor Sandiaga Uno at his side.
The President seemed relaxed prior to election day, telling reporters on Tuesday that he would be resting after voting in Gambir, Central Jakarta.
“After voting, I will just go to sleep,” he said, laughing. “I’ll be tired; I want to rest.”
Prabowo, meanwhile, spent Tuesday evening at a prayer event with campaign team officials and religious figures at his residence in Kertanegara, South Jakarta. The former Army general is planning to vote in Bogor, West Java, near his estate in the Hambalang area.
