Ex-general set to win Indonesia election

A FORMER general who has pledged to get tough on terrorism and fix the economy won a landslide victory over incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri in Indonesia's landmark elections yesterday.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a commanding lead in partial official results and in an unofficial survey of voting. Ms Megawati, however, has not conceded and said she would await the full official results, which are expected in about two weeks' time.

Yesterday's voting was the second round in Indonesia's first-ever direct presidential elections and a key step in the transition to democracy in the world's most populous Muslim nation since the downfall of former dictator Suharto in 1998.