Big lead for Indonesia ex-general
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JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Former Indonesian general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has emerged with a commanding lead in voting in the country's first direct presidential election.
Indonesia's stocks, bonds and currency strengthened on the news that Yudhoyono, who promised to inject fresh life into the economy and fight corruption, was almost certain to replace incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
With about 60 percent of the vote counted on Tuesday, the former security minister was leading with 60 percent of the vote to Megawati's 40 percent.
An exit poll that has been highly accurate in the past also predicted a solid win for Yudhoyono, according to results released Tuesday.
The Washington-based National Democratic Institute and the Indonesian think-tank LP3S showed him leading incumbent Megawati with 60.2 percent of the vote, compared with the current president's 39.8 percent.
The poll, with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent, surveyed 283,442 voters at 1,362 polling stations across 32 Indonesian provinces.
Yudhoyono, who left his post as security minister under Megawati in March after a public dispute over his political ambitions, thanked his supporters but said he would not claim victory until official results are in on October 5.
"Of course," he said, "[I am] very happy to learn that the vote count has shown that I will reach a promising result."
The 54-year-old career soldier asked Indonesians to accept the results of the poll regardless of the final outcome and called for both his supporters and Megawati's to come together "to build a better Indonesia."
One of Yudhoyono's most serious challenges is to merge Indonesia's old system of party politics with the direct vote, leaving the former security chief with a fractured government.
Megawati's coalition controls more than 60 percent of the parliament, a political force that could prevent Yudhoyono from accomplishing his goals in the world's third largest democracy.
Despite the challenges, one 28-year-old Indonesian man, Irwan Sah, said he has high hopes and expects the former general to deliver on a range of issues.
"Security, improve the economy, which can't happen without security, and get rid of corruption and collusion."
At a brief news conference late on Monday night, a stern-faced Yudhoyono insisted he was not making a victory speech, Reuters reported.
When photographers urged him to shake his running mate's hand, Yudhoyono said: "No. People will think we feel we've won."
Pre-election polls had shown Yudhoyono with a massive lead.
After a 32-year dictatorship, Indonesia has stumbled through four presidents in six years. Under Suharto's dictatorship, lawmakers acted as an electoral college, choosing the president.
While both contenders were nearly identical on many issues, the upstart Yudhoyono put security at the top of his campaign agenda after three major attacks in the nation in two years.
Apart from security, analysts have said Yudhoyono's biggest draw is the electorate's dissatisfaction with Megawati's performance over the last three years.
The former military general is seen as a strong, decisive and capable leader.
On the other hand, analysts say the 57-year-old Megawati has lost her supporters' hopes for a better future through weak leadership and lack of political will.
If the voting trend holds, Megawati will be the first leader held accountable by Indonesian voters and punished, analysts say, for her lackluster leadership.
CNN Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa contributed to this report.
