Regional polls lead gives boost to Prabowo

Indonesia's ruling coalition dominated the nation's first-ever simultaneous regional elections, with the newly elected local officials expected to contribute to President Prabowo Subianto's national development targets, analysts said.

The General Elections Commission of Indonesia, or KPU, has yet to announce the final tally of the Nov 27 polls. However, local reports show that more than 50 percent of the winning candidates ran under the banner of the ruling Advance Indonesia Coalition, or KIM Plus.

The administration-backed candidates include Dedi Mulyadi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who was elected governor of West Java; Khofifah Indar Parawansa, the incumbent East Java governor who has successfully defended her seat; and Ahmad Luthfi, former police chief and now governor-elect of Central Java.