You probably didn't see anything in the news about the election just held here in Indonesia and even more unlikely to know the significance. Everyone here did, however.
This is the first time in the country's history that the president, the vice president, and members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), were elected on the same day with over 190 million voters eligible to vote. Sixteen parties are participating in the elections nationally, four of which are participating for the first time.
In the presidential election, which follows a simple majority system, y that incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, ran for re-election against former general Prabowo Subianto for a five-year term. The legislative election will see over 240,000 candidates competing for over 20,000 seats in the MPR and local councils for provinces and cities/regencies all being contested, with over 8,000 competing for the People's Representative Council seats alone. The election has thus been described as "the most complicated single-day ballot in global history."
While I don't know about the rest of Indonesia, all of Timor had the day off ("holiday"). Each voter had purple ink put on a finger to prevent voting more than once. Why not e-voiting, like in the US? Answer: for fear of hacking and corrupt voting and not every part of Indonesia (17,000 islands) has internet access.
We were told that every Christian was planning on voting for Jokowi. Why would they vote for a Muslim?
Well, Julie would have voted for him if she was allowed, because he was nice enough to give her a ride on his bicycle. (If you believe this, I have a bridge to sell you.)
Rather because Prabowo was a former Indonesian general who was supposedly discharged as a result of disciplinary action. He's also been charged with human rights abuse and is a more radical Muslim than the incumbent president. Because charges of corruption have followed him over the years.
All voting is finished by noon so results were announced later in the afternoon (unlike in the US where those on the east coast wake up the next morning to hear the official results). Our van driver informed us with a smile during the trip back to the guesthouse that Jokowi had been re-elected. We saw a mini-parade of about 200 motorcycles and several trucks loaded with people, all vehicles packed closely together, everyone smiling and waving a small white flag with a red symbol on it, celebrating the voting results.
Religious freedom for Christians in Timor appears safe for the near future.
This is the first time in the country's history that the president, the vice president, and members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), were elected on the same day with over 190 million voters eligible to vote. Sixteen parties are participating in the elections nationally, four of which are participating for the first time.
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| President Widodo |
While I don't know about the rest of Indonesia, all of Timor had the day off ("holiday"). Each voter had purple ink put on a finger to prevent voting more than once. Why not e-voiting, like in the US? Answer: for fear of hacking and corrupt voting and not every part of Indonesia (17,000 islands) has internet access.
We were told that every Christian was planning on voting for Jokowi. Why would they vote for a Muslim?
 |
| President Widodo with Julie |
Well, Julie would have voted for him if she was allowed, because he was nice enough to give her a ride on his bicycle. (If you believe this, I have a bridge to sell you.)
All voting is finished by noon so results were announced later in the afternoon (unlike in the US where those on the east coast wake up the next morning to hear the official results). Our van driver informed us with a smile during the trip back to the guesthouse that Jokowi had been re-elected. We saw a mini-parade of about 200 motorcycles and several trucks loaded with people, all vehicles packed closely together, everyone smiling and waving a small white flag with a red symbol on it, celebrating the voting results.
Religious freedom for Christians in Timor appears safe for the near future.
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