A quick count of the ballots cast yesterday in the election selecting Bali’s next governor shows that I Wayan Koster and his deputy Tjok Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati have come out as the victors over Rai Mantra and running mate Ketut Sudikerta.
Koster will take the place of Bali’s current governor, Made Mangku Pastika, who has held the office for 10 years (two consecutive terms).
While Koster and Tjokorda received 58.02 percent of votes, the results showed that the election was more competitive than Koster realized. The numbers were apparently below his expectation of a 70 percent victory—or a hope for a minimum of 65 percent, he said.
“This number is far from what we expected,” Koster said in a press conference in Denpasar on Wednesday night.
Koster, who ran under PDIP, the same party as the president, says he received a congratulatory phone call from President Joko Widodo last night.
“Mr. President gave congratulations on winning the Bali regional election with considerable margins of victory,” Koster said, as quoted by Detik.
During the call, Koster says that he asked the president to be prepared to assist with the development of infrastructure in Bali.
“He expressed a readiness,” Koster said.
Koster says his first act as governor will be releasing Bali Province from zonal regulations that connects it with East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
”Replacing Law No. 64 of 1958 on the Establishment of Level 1, Ba, NTB, NTT. Later a draft law on Bali Province.
“This is in accordance with the uniqueness of Bali,” he said, as quoted by Beritagar.
