Voting for Indonesia's next president kicked off on Wednesday, with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto emerging as the frontrunner despite concerns regarding his human rights record. Subianto, a former military chief under the Suharto regime, is projected to win a majority, potentially succeeding the popular outgoing leader, Joko Widodo. Observers suggest Widodo indirectly supported Subianto's campaign.

At 72 years old, Subianto leads the race with a campaign that blends populist rhetoric and promises to uphold Widodo's policies, which have overseen consistent economic growth. Widodo, having reached the constitutional two-term limit, cannot run again.

Expressing his hopes before casting his vote in Bogor on Wednesday, Subianto urged citizens to vote according to their conscience.

Around 205 million eligible voters will choose between Subianto and his rivals, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo. This marks the fifth presidential election since the end of the Suharto era in 1998.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 am in Papua and were set to close at 1:00 pm in Sumatra, spanning across the country's vast territory. The logistical challenge involved over 800,000 polling stations and 20,000 contested seats, with ballots transported by planes, helicopters, speedboats, and even cows across the archipelago.

In Timika city, makeshift polling stations constructed from logs, metal sheets, and palm leaves awaited voters, while in Jakarta, a thunderstorm delayed the opening of several polling stations.

Workers, clad in shirts reading "not voting is not an option," relocated stations affected by flooding and ensured proper ballot handling. Official results are anticipated in March, but quick counts from reputable pollsters are expected to provide early insights into the election outcome later on Wednesday.

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