Indonesian Vote Count Risks Contested Result: Southeast Asia

Both Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo and Suharto-era general Prabowo Subianto claimed victory in Indonesia’s presidential election, even as unofficial counts showed Widodo won the most votes yesterday in the world’s third-biggest democracy.

The campaign was the most polarizing since the fall of dictator Suharto in 1998, dividing the country between those looking for a more liberal democracy and those nostalgic for a leader who projects strength. The possibility that official results due in two weeks will be contested raises the prospect of instability that may rattle Asia’s fifth-largest economy.