Indonesian President calls for unity after election

Reuters, Jakarta :
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday that vote “quick counts” indicated he had regained the presidency, but called on his supporters to wait for the election commission to announce official results.
Widodo is set to win the popular vote and is leading challenger Prabowo Subianto by between 7.5 and 11.6 percentage points, according to unofficial “quick counts” of a sample of votes by six pollsters.
“Indications from exit polls and quick counts, we have seen all, but we must be patient and wait for the KPU’s (election commission’s) official tabulation,” he told a news conference, during which he said the elections had been “honest and fair”.
“Let’s all reunite as brothers and sisters, after the legislative and presidential election,” he said.
Both candidates in Indonesia’s presidential election have addressed supporters after preliminary results showed President Joko Widodo leading his rival Prabowo Subianto by about 10 points.
Widodo said he was aware of his lead and thanked election workers and government agencies for a smooth election. He called for the nation to reunite after the divisions of the election campaign.
He said: “From the indications of the exit poll and also the quick counts, we can see it all, but we must be patient to wait for the official counting from the Electoral Commission.”
Subianto urged his supporters not to cause chaos but also told them to be vigilant against voter fraud. He said his campaign’s own exit poll had shown him ahead.
Vote counts from five independent survey groups show Indonesian President Joko Widodo has a clear election lead over rival Prabowo Subianto.
The quick counts from reputable survey organizations that use a sample of polling stations have been reliable in past elections. Official results from Wednesday’s election are expected in May.
With 50% to 80% of sample polling stations counted, the survey organizations showed Widodo winning about 55% of the vote.
Around 193 million people were eligible to vote in polls that will decide who leads the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.
Widodo campaigned on progress in reducing poverty and improving Indonesia’s infrastructure. Subianto, a former special forces general, painted a picture of a weak Indonesia at risk of disintegration without his leadership. He also promised to lower prices of essential goods.
Early preliminary results in Indonesia’s presidential election show President Joko Widodo ahead of challenger Prabowo Subianto by 10 to 12 percentage points.
The so-called “quick counts” from reputable survey organizations that use a sample of polling stations have been reliable in past elections.
With between 40% and 50% of sample polling stations counted, four polling organizations showed Widodo winning 54% to 56% of the votes.
About 193 million people were eligible to vote in polls that will decide who leads the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. Official results from the Election Commission are expected in May.