The results of several credible pollsters` quick counts, which some national TV stations broadcast following the official closure of polling booths, showed Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno pair leading the gubernatorial race.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The second round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election, participated in by more than 7.2 eligible voters, ended here on Wednesday with a probability that Jakartans would have a new governor and a new vice governor.

The results of several credible pollsters quick counts, which some national TV stations broadcast following the official closure of polling booths, showed Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno pair leading the gubernatorial race.

The quick count that Kompas research and development division conducted had even revealed a higher percentage of votes for the Baswedan-Uno pair than that of the incumbent governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and vice governor Djarot Syaiful Hidayat.

According to the quick count result that Kompas TV and Kompas.com released, for instance, the Baswedan-Uno pair grabbed 58.13 percent of the votes, while the Purnama-Hidayat pair just got 41.87 percent of the votes.

In response to the results of different pollsters quick count and exit polls, the General Election Commission (KPU) chairman Arief Budiman stated that they were not the official final outcome of the election.

"The quick counts and surveys are indeed legal, scientific, measurable, and accountable activities. Public can use them as references," he noted.

Instead, the official and legal result of the election is merely based on the real count that Jakartas KPU office conducts and approves, he remarked.

Meanwhile, Purnama and Hidayat congratulated Baswedan-Uno pairs victory, saying that Jakarta is home of all Jakartans.

The pair declared their victory by calling on all Jakartans to unite and work together with them to present the socio-economic welfare to all residents of the capital city.

"The phase of differences has ended. What comes next is that we work together to present the socio-economic welfare to all Jakartans. Our duty does not end today. We will continue to serve the entire people of Jakarta," Baswedan asserted.

Earlier in the day, Widodo had called on the entire Indonesians to accept whatever be the result of the election, saying that the nations unity in diversity should remain intact.

"This election process is expected to run smoothly and produce the best and most trusted Jakarta governor. Do not let the differences of our political preferences trigger disunity, because we are all brothers and sisters," he reiterated.

Therefore, maintaining unity in diversity and accepting whatever the final result of this gubernatorial election are significant for the nation, the head of state pointed out.

The second round of the election was held after none of the candidates received more than 50 percent of the votes in the first round.

Purnama and Hidayat competed against Baswedan and Uno in the runoff election.

Purnama-Hidayat pair, who won 42.99 percent of the votes, and Baswedan-Uno pair, with 39.95 percent of the votes, were qualified to compete in the second round. The pair of Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni failed to qualify for the second round, as they got only 17.07 percent of the votes.

Commenting on todays election process, both Baswedan and Purnama urged millions of eligible voters to respect differences and cast their votes happily in a secure and conducive condition.

"Let us show the world community that Jakartans have been mature in practicing democracy. Therefore, let us maintain the situation to remain conducive and let us respect differences," Baswedan remarked.

More than 7.2 million Jakartans were eligible to choose their preferable governor and vice governor for the next five-year period by casting their votes at 13,034 polling stations.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017