Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) won 61 percent of votes in yesterday’s election, according to a sampling of ballots by the Indonesia Survey Institute, enough to hand him a second five-year term. He promised voters to eradicate corruption and boost spending to help achieve 7 percent annual economic growth. The rupiah traded at a one-week high while the Jakarta Composite Index rose as much as 1.6 percent, and was little changed at the midday break, reports Reuters

Yes, that’s in the US.
For long-time Internet users, today’s news that more than half of the US adult population went online to participate in the 2008 election may seem like no big deal.

Robin Shulman over at the Washington Post has an interesting report and opinion: that secular politics holds fast in Indonesia meaning Islamist Groups Expected to Take Back Seat in Vote. As a matter of fact, that’s what has been and will always be going on in Indonesia:
Ismi Safeya is a student at an Islamic school who veils her hair for modesty, prays five times a day and is inspired by the idea of a society based on Muslim principles.

But when the 18-year-old casts her vote for the first time in parliamentary elections Thursday, she won’t vote for an Islamist party.

“The wisest choice is a government not dependent on Islamic law,” she said, acknowledging the religious diversity of Indonesia and arguing that rules must be fair for everyone. “Islam actually guides our lives, but it doesn’t seem to be shown in the way we vote.”

Like Safeya, most voters here in the world’s largest majority-Muslim country are expected to cast their ballots for secular parties. As political Islam gains strength globally, it has achieved little electoral success in Indonesia. Though polls show Indonesians becoming more religiously observant in their private lives, surveys also suggest this shift will not translate into significant support for Islamist politics in parliamentary elections Thursday or in presidential elections scheduled for July.
The trends still holds on yesterday’s legislative quick count result as the top three winners are all secular parties:
The Democrat Party was heading to win about 21% of the vote, followed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, of former president Megawati Sukarnoputri with 15% and the Golkar Party with 15%, according to an exit poll by Lembaga Survei Indonesia, a polling group.

Says Fabio Scarpello of World Politics Review, despite problems.
A veil of skepticism has descended over Indonesia’s democracy as the country prepares to vote in legislative elections on April 9. But although votes will be cast under the shadow of serious problems and deficiencies, there is also reason for optimism.

Admittedly, none of the 38 national parties have impressed with well-conceived political platforms. Their rallies have been more about handing out goodies and presenting dandugt concerts than debating the country’s many ills.

Add to that allegations of vote-buying and the blatant ineptitude of the Election Commission, and what emerges is a depressing picture that has led some analysts to predict that the elections themselves will be chaotic, followed by a flood of lawsuits and possible violence.

Allegations of widespread electoral fraud that followed the recent East Java gubernatorial election have contributed to the mix of doubt and worry.

On 9 April 2009 another general election will be held in Indonesia after which we will have another new democratically elected president. Since gaining its Independence from Japan in 1945, and sucessfully defended the Dutch attack in 1949, Indonesia-barring Suharto and Habibie- has democratically elected six presidents. All presidents of course has their own plus and flipside. Having said that, there should be one or two who one thinks had the best performance & capability as the head of state of the country.