INDONESIA: President Megawati Sukarnoputri conceded defeat in Indonesia's first direct leadership ballot yesterday by not filing any complaints, despite claims from her party of vote fraud.
The Constitutional Court said former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's sweeping victory was final. It said Ms Megawati had not submitted any objections by yesterday's deadline.
While Ms Megawati has not made an explicit statement on her defeat in the historic September 20th vote, nor congratulated her former chief security minister, Mr Yudhoyono should now be free to declare victory.
He has held off assuming victory, waiting for any challenge to be dealt with, as financial markets and investors await details of his plans and cabinet choices following a grinding election season that began with a parliamentary poll in April.
"The deadline to lodge a complaint has passed without anything being lodged," Constitutional Court chief Mr Jimly Asshiddiqie told reporters.
The independent election commission said on Monday that Mr Yudhoyono had won by 25 million votes. Both domestic and foreign monitors have said the vote was fair. Mr Asshiddiqie said the result was final and binding.
Mr Yudhoyono welcomed the court statement, saying he would concentrate on getting his government ready. He said he would establish contacts with Ms Megawati to ensure a "peaceful and democratic change of leadership".