Prabowo Optimistic Gerindra to Win 20 Percent Votes

Jakarta (Antara) - Chief Patron and Presidential Candidate of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto expressed optimism that his party will win 20 percent of Wednesday's legislative elections. "We already have a party mechanism. In the 2009 elections we did not have one so our votes were small. Now the party has a strong mechanism so that we have the target to win 20 percent of the votes to nominate the presidential candidate," Prabowo stated after casting his vote at Polling Station 02, Bojong Koneng Village, Babakan Madang subdistrict, Bogo District, West Java, on Wednesday. He added that Gerindra has a large base, which comprised of voters from various professions such as fishermen, farmers, laborers and retired military servicemen. "We have to pass this election even though there is competition, democratic competition. The important thing is to compete in a healthy atmosphere. We also have a strategy and a new direction. I realize that the people can see this. Hopefully, witnesses will work hard," he added. Gerindra was ranked eighth in the 2009 legislative elections winning 4.46 percent of the votes. A total of about 185.8 eligible voters are registered for Wednesday's legislative elections. They elected legislators for 560 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) and 132 members of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) in the Parliament. Quick counts in Wednesday legislative elections as released by Metro TV station on Wednesday evening, temporarily placed the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) in the first position, followed by Golkar in the second place and Gerindra in the third one. Of the 74 percent votes already counted based on the quick count, PDIP won 19.06 percent, Golkar 14.4 percent and Gerindra 12.28 percent. (*)