Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo said on Thursday that leaders from 13 friendly countries had congratulated him for Indonesia's success in peacefully convening its parliamentary and presidential elections on Wednesday.

Among the leaders who expressed their congratulatory messages were Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he told journalists in Jakarta on Thursday.

The incumbent president who is challenged by his tough contender Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia's general elections were one of the world's biggest democratic events because they were held simultaneously across the archipelago.

With more than 800 thousand polling stations set up in around 17 thousand islands, Indonesia's parliamentary and presidential elections could be referred to as a huge fiesta of democracy, he said.

Jokowo also predicted that the participation rate might have reached almost 81 percent of around 192 million eligible voters.

In connection with this democratic process, Indonesian Police Chief General Tito Karnavian appealed to all parties to end the mobilization of supporters to revel in victory or to echo discontent over the outcome of Wednesday's elections.

During a conversation with newsmen after a coordination meeting held to ensure security after the elections here, Karnavian noted that the police had dispelled crowds rejoicing at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday.

"We will work on dispersing crowds mobilized by the competing camps according to the protocol followed at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout yesterday. I have appealed to all regional police chiefs to adopt a similar measure in their respective areas," he noted.

He further appealed to the people of the country to be appreciative of the entire election process and to consider the General Elections Commission's (KPU's) real count as a reference, he remarked, adding that the Indonesian military and police were adept at spotting untoward developments.

The police will make all-out efforts to ensure optimal law enforcement against those intending to hinder the stability, security, and social order of the community members.

"The highest voter participation rate has been recorded in our democratic process since the Reformation Era," he pointed out.

"The participation rate has crossed eighty percent, or nearly over 160 million voters. Hence, whoever emerges victorious in the elections will have high credibility and legitimacy stemming from the high public support," General Karnavian noted.

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Translator: Bayu P, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azizah Fitriyanti
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