Indonesians Vote In First Direct Presidential Poll

"Three cheers for democracy," enthused a Jakarta post editorial as voters ranging from illiterate tribesmen in Papua province to Javanese rice farmers and Jakarta yuppies seized their historic opportunity.

Ex-general Yudhoyono was certain to top the ballot – a survey last week gave him 43.5 percent support, more than his four rivals combined. But he needs more than 50 percent to avoid a runoff between the top two candidates on September 20.

The survey by the International Foundation for Election Systems gave another ex-general, Wiranto, 14.2 percent support and Megawati 11.7 percent.

National assembly speaker Amien Rais came fourth with 10.9 percent while current Vice President Hamzah Haz had just 2.4.

"There will be two candidates facing each other, there will be a head-to-head competition, and surely this will be rough," the former Security Minister told reporters, surrounded by supporters who tried to kiss his hand, according to Agence France-Press (AFP).

"Supporters will face each other and there is the potential for confrontation. This is unavoidable. The key is for the candidates and the supporters to restrain themselves."

Yudhoyono, 54, also warned of possible cheating. "Politics is tough and cruel. Sometimes for power any means can be used," he said.

He has complained of a smear campaign spread by SMS messages in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, which falsely alleges he is a Christian.

After three years in office, incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri is struggling to make it to the likely run-off.

Bookie Makes Megawati Favorite

However, one bookmaker is making Megawati the joint favorite to win.

The bookie, who asked to be known only as KC since betting is illegal in this Muslim country, is offering odds of 1.5 to one on a Megawati victory and the same on Wiranto, according to AFP.

The minimum stake is 100,000 rupiah (10.65 dollars), meaning punters will collect 150,000 rupiah plus their original stake if either tops the poll.

KC offers odds of 4.5 to one on Yudhoyono and on national assembly speaker Amien Rais. Current Vice-President Hamzah Haz is a rank outsider at 50 to one.

KC said betting closed early Monday and so far he has collected 1.1 million rupiah from 11 people, with most bets on Megawati. He also takes bets on English Premier League games.

Hundreds of underground gambling dens, some backed by the police or military, can be found in many big Indonesian cities.

Polls opened at 7 am across Indonesia’s three time zones and close at 1 pm. Voting in Jakarta was to end at 0600 GMT.

The easternmost province of Papua, a largely mountainous and jungle-clad region where voting materials are often delivered by air, was the first to vote at 2200 GMT Sunday.

Former army-backed strongman Suharto, who was rubber-stamped into office seven times by legislators during his 32-year rule, was an early voter near his Jalan Cendana home in the smart Jakarta suburb of Menteng.

Current President Megawati, chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), cast her ballot at 11.30 a.m. in a polling station in Kebagusan area, South Jakarta, in the company of her husband, Taufiek Kiemas, according to Antara news agency.

"Clad in a red-blouse and batik york, Megawati got the 143rd turn, and her husband got the 142nd turn during the balloting. They then left the polling station few minutes later."

Flight Cancellations

Meanwhile, the Presidential election resulted in the cancellation of at least 45 domestic flights from Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Cengkareng, Tangerang, according to the Jakarta Post.

"The number of canceled flights could change if airlines call for more cancellations," Darto Eko Saputro, an official at the airport told the Post.

"Usually, flight cancellations are the result of a lack of passengers, which affects operational costs."

The canceled flights were bound for Balikpapan, Denpasar, Jambi, Makassar, Padang, Pekanbaru, Pontianak, Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta, the paper said.

"There have been fewer canceled flights than during the April 5 legislative election.

"Meanwhile, there were no cancellations for international flights," Darto said.