Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Yudhoyono, a U.S.-trained former general who pledged to revive the economy and crack down on terrorism, was leading President Megawati Sukarnoputri by a margin of 60 percent to 40 percent, with more than 40 percent of the votes counted. Yudhoyono stopped short of claiming victory Sept. 20 but thanked Megawati for preparing a "good foundation for the development of democracy."

Megawati Sukarnoputri

Yudhoyono is set to become the country's fourth leader in the six tumultuous years since former President Suharto, the long-serving military ruler, stepped down in the face of mass protests.

An exit poll conducted by the National Democratic Institute, a Washington-based group that promotes democracy, forecast a Yudhoyono victory by a margin of 61.2 percent to 38.8 percent.

The Japan Times Weekly: Sept. 25, 2004
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