Indonesia’s poll closes

International Desk: Polls have closed in Indonesia, following a bitter campaign in which religion has played a prominent role.

A series of "quick counts" are expected to give preliminary results within hours of the vote ending at 06:00 GMT.

The electoral commission will officially announce the victors in May.

Some 20,000 local and national seats were up for election, with the presidential race a re-match of the 2014 contest between incumbent Joko Widodo and ex-general Prabowo Subianto.

Both have made political moves in line with the increased prominence of conservative Islam in the country.

Mr Widodo, looking to win another five-year term, is seen as the frontrunner.

Both presidential candidates cast their own votes - Mr Widodo in the capital Jakarta, and Mr Prabowo in Bogor, an hour's drive south.

Analysts say the two main contenders have not presented wildly different policy platforms, apart from their views on Chinese investment.

"Therefore, the only contrast they can draw is by showing their religious credentials," said Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow and Indonesia expert at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Source: Agencies


risingbd/April 17, 2019/Mukul