Prabowo claims win in Indonesia's election

Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto has claimed victory in Indonesia’s presidential election.

The 72-year-old former special forces commander had about 58 percent of the votes, four unofficial pollsters showed based on “quick count” ballots from voting stations across the country.

“Although we are grateful, we must not be arrogant, we must not be euphoric, we must remain humble. This victory must be a victory for all Indonesian people.

“I will lead together with (running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka) to nurture, protect and defend all the people of Indonesia, regardless of tribe, ethnic group, race and religion as well as social background, the people of Indonesia are our responsibility to protect,” Prabowo said, according to CNN.

The election aims to establish a successor for Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, after a decade of him in power.

The 36-year-old Gibran (above, right) is Jokowi’s eldest son.

Claims of human rights abuses

In 1998, Prabowo was given a dishonourable discharge as a military commander in the Kopassus special forces following claims that he was involved in kidnapping and torturing then-president Suharto’s political opponents.

In that year, 23 activists were reported as kidnapped and 13 remain missing.

Prabowo never faced trial for the matter although several of his men were convicted and tried.

He also faced accusations of human rights abuses in East Timor, an island nation Indonesia occupied until 2002 after it had declared independence from Portugal.

Meanwhile, Prabowo’s rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo are far behind with about 25 percent and 17 percent respectively.

According to a report from Al Jazeera, both have urged the public to wait for the official results, which are expected to be released by March 20.

Anies and Ganjar’s campaign teams have said they are investigating electoral violation reports, which they described as “structural, systematic and massive fraud”, but did not produce any evidence.

Prabowo and Gibran have pledged to continue Jokowi’s policies.

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