Indonesians Vote !

Today, after a-two-weeks 2009 Indonesian Peacefull Elections Campaign (Kampanye Damai Pemilu Indonesia 2009), starting at 7.00am to 12.00am local time, Indonesians will begin voting for legislative member. This is the 3rd elections after the so-called three decades repressive governing by Gen.Suharto. Opposite to only 3 parties to choose from in Suharto's period, this time there are 38 national parties involved, plus 6 local parties for the special district Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam. Besides the difference in the amount of the parties involved, there will be also changes in the way people will give their vote ("coblos" vs. "contreng".. let me lookup the words in the dictionary later .. lolzz) and people will have options to choose over the parties or the candidate of legislative members representing the parties , for municipal, provincial and national candidacy.

This "Pemilu 2009" election which will vote for 560 legislative member is quite important since the result will give indications whether Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono -- the incumbent president -- will have a majority support thus excalating his chances to run for a second five-years-term presidency. If his Partai Demokrat (Democratic Party) fail to gain a fifth of the parliament seats - or 25 percent of the popular vote - he will have to seek coalitions from many a.k.a it would be hard for him to run smoothly .

Many pollings showed that Partai Demokrat (Democratic Party) will gain quite a significant numbers of votes in this Pemilu. The Indonesian Survey Institute poll indicated that the Democratic Party would win 26 percent of the popular vote; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle headed by former President Megawati Sukarnoputri 14 percent; and Golkar 13 percent. The four Islamic-based parties each came in at around 4 percent (to note: quick count indicated that one of the Islamic party, Partai Keadilan Sejahtera, already gained around 8 percent) The survey, based on interviews with 2,486 people, had a margin of error of 2.3 percent. But with around 171 million elegible voters getting smarter and becoming more independent, nothing is certain.

Being a national holiday, up to this moment the situation seems calm and, despite of the technicalities shambles of the Elections Commissions, people are lining up to give their vote.

Whatever the result will be, let's hope this Pemilu 2009 will be as peacefull as the Kampanye Damai Pemilu Indonesia 2009 peacefull campaign period.

Let's celebrate Democracy!