Yesterday, New Mandala‘s @Berger_Dominic and @Gammonator, and blogger and crack photographer Ray Yen spent some time at the KPU (General Elections Commission) to witness the final stages of vote tabulation before dropping in on a victory party at Megawati Soekarnoputri’s house in South Jakarta.

Here are a few snapshots of the day taken by Ray.

1560495_10152196597916960_1030131402983988829_n

There was a formidable police presence in and around the KPU building in the elite neighbourhood of Menteng, with the street leading to the Hotel Indonesia roundabout–a usual hotspot for protests–blocked off to traffic. Any troublemakers would have to get past several hundred armed police officers (not to mention the water cannons and armoured vehicles they had parked outside the building).

10525723_10152196594261960_5649305045731074059_n 10245514_10152196612646960_5521176107443668250_n

The day’s drama came courtesy of the Prabowo Subianto lawyers-cum-scrutineers present at the count who, a moment after their candidate gave a fiery media conference at campaign HQ ‘rejecting’ the legitimacy of the election, read out a letter from Prabowo announcing his ‘withdrawal’ from the whole process. They then cheerfully got up and walked out of the room, saying polite farewells to the Jokowi representatives and election officials, before holding an informal chat with reporters and sympathisers at the front door.

10464259_10152196585861960_868562153928769697_n 10511253_10152196589201960_5821361749340057680_n

This was followed by a larger presser on the street outside for television cameras.

10552580_10152196594146960_1584815678268082066_n

After this drama, the police started putting on their riot gear. (Just in case, eh?)

10351812_10152196592106960_8772972600470685641_n

With the atmosphere at the KPU taking a turn for the worse, it was time for a celebratory buka puasa (fast breaking) at the South Jakarta home of Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Jokowi-JK and PDI-P memorabilia was on sale outside the house.

10574210_10152196706961960_3666385662980389031_n

10352092_10152196811076960_1130175578955678958_n

934765_10152196706926960_511648312538219341_n

10325223_10152196730906960_8106827070012221862_n

Bizarrely, the actual winning candidates weren’t given an opportunity to speak at the preliminary victory presser. It was clear, though, who the real VIP was. Below is PKB party chairman Muhaimin Iskandar paying his respects to her.

10547691_10152196409581960_5184152688617761945_n

The president-elect and his running mate, meanwhile, sat in silence.

10492001_10152196727021960_6196392973194989883_n

Jokowi backers from within PDI-P, among them the high-profile MP’s Maruarar Sirait (pictured below left) and Rieke Diah Pitaloka, were in good spirits.

10321162_10152196827101960_5333355760371554508_o

It’s been a tough election season for Megawati’s daughter, Puan Maharani, whom many blame both for a botched legislative campaign and PDI-P head office’s paltry efforts in mobilising the party machine for Jokowi. Puan got quite emotional as she sat with her mother to watch the KPU count being read on television. Jokowi had already left to make a surprise visit to the KPU to watch himself be officially anointed as the president-elect.

10347233_10152196878816960_1461348676651397865_n

10155547_10152196876436960_8695519473802080127_n

When the KPU boss’ gavel finally came down, the assembled crowd burst into cheers before standing for the national anthem.

10492487_10152196872121960_6299763687847330842_n

NasDem boss Surya Paloh presumably had little trouble getting himself on Metro TV, the unabashedly pro-Jokowi news station which he owns.

10419960_10152196893996960_4458970559728280834_n

……………