Widodo leads early results in Indonesia election

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Unofficial quick-count results of Indonesia’s hotly contested presidential election Wednesday showed Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ahead of his rival with more than 80 percent of the votes tallied.

Widodo, the governor of Jakarta, was leading with about 52 percent of the vote, while Prabowo Subianto had about 48 percent, according to most credible quick-count surveys.

The early results are considered reliable and a good indicator of what the official count will show when all votes are tallied in about two weeks.

“At the time being, the quick counts show that Jokowi-Kalla is the winner,” Widodo told a news conference, also referring to his running mate, Jusuf Kalla.

But Subianto’s campaign chief, Mohammad Mahfud, said that three internal quick-count results showed their candidate was ahead. He called on supporters to remain calm as the votes continued to be counted.

A one-time furniture maker who rose from humble beginnings and is seen as a man of the people, Widodo was pitted against Subianto, a wealthy ex-army general with close links to former dictator Suharto.

The race is the third direct presidential election in Indonesia, a nation of 240 million people that has struggled with corruption and poverty.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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