Kompas Photo Archive: After 59 Years of Independence, Indonesia Holds Direct Presidential Elections

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

Until 2004, general elections or pemilu had been held nine times since its first implementation in 1955. However, the ninth election felt special because for the first time in the history of the republic, the presidential and vice presidential elections were held directly by the people. The increasing demand for direct presidential elections was reasonable because a direct election by the people aligned with the principle of true popular sovereignty which gave people the complete right and authority to determine their choice, including their political choice.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Several cars adorned with flags and banners containing invitations to vote in the presidential election on July 5th participated in the march carrying the inscription "Ready to Win, Ready to Lose" held by the General Election Commission of DKI Jakarta on Thamrin Street, Central Jakarta, on Friday (2/7/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Nasrullah, also known as Mat Solar, famous for the comedy TV series Bajaj Bajuri, displays a VCD on his bajaj in front of the General Elections Commission building in Jakarta on Monday, June 14, 2004. The VCD launch, attended by actor Dedi Mizwar, contains training videos for presidential and vice presidential elections for members of the Polling Station Organizing Group (KPPS).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

An employee passes in front of a billboard featuring the president and vice president chairs along with a number of citizens who cast their votes on Letjen Suprapto road, Central Jakarta, Thursday (10/6/2004). The direct presidential election, which will elect a presidential candidate for the first time, will be held in Indonesia on July 5th.

The milestone of implementing direct presidential election was set at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly on November 9, 2001, when the Assembly amended Article 6A, paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution to state that the president shall be directly elected by the people. Furthermore, it was reinforced by the approval of the Presidential and Vice Presidential General Election Bill (RUU Pemilu Presiden dan Wapres) becoming law in a Plenary Session of the House of Representatives on Monday, July 7, 2003.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Two workers put up banners featuring five pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates participating in the 2004 presidential election at the General Election Commission Building in Jakarta on Tuesday (15/6/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A woman distributed pamphlets from the General Elections Commission containing information about the presidential election and pictures of five pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates to users of city transportation services on MH Thamrin Road, Central Jakarta, on Monday (21/6/2004).

The General Elections Commission (KPU) prepared for the 2004 election 'busier' than usual, because this five-year democracy celebration apart from electing members of the legislature, also elected the president and vice president directly for the first time. KPU set the schedule for the first round of presidential elections (pilpres) on 5 July 2004 and 20 September 2004 for the second round of presidential elections. All activities for the 2004 election spent Rp 4.45 trillion. The funds taken from the APBN and APBD are used to finance programs starting from scratch. From population data collection to making voting booths that are different from previous elections. In addition, there was additional funding of US$32.367 million which came from aid from donor countries through the United Nations Development Program, (Kompas, 15 October 2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

An employee looks at printed ballots for the 2004 presidential and vice presidential elections at PT Temprint, Jakarta, Sunday (30/5/2004). PT Temprint received a ballot print quota of 10.5 million which will be distributed in 34 regencies and cities in three electoral districts, namely West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and Jakarta.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A total of 760 ballot boxes used for the presidential election began to be returned on Tuesday (6/7/2004). The return of the ballot boxes was seen in the KPU Solo warehouse.

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG (MYE)

A number of workers at the printing house of PT Gramedia in Jakarta are currently moving stacks of ballot papers for the presidential election that have been sent to the electoral district of West Sumatra Province on Saturday (5/6/2004). The initial delivery of the ballot papers was intended for areas that have remote regions so that the ballot papers can reach their destination before the presidential election on July 5th, 2004.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

President Election Advertisement - Various advertisements containing appeals to vote for the presidential and vice-presidential candidate pairs ahead of the 2004 presidential election are widely displayed in newspapers.

In the first round of presidential election contestation, as many as five pairs of presidential candidates (capres) and vice presidential candidates (cawapres) competed for RI 1 and RI 2 seats. The five candidate pairs were: Wiranto and Salahuddin Wahid; Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi; Amien Rais and Siswono Yudo Husodo; Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Jusuf Kalla (JK); Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar.

KOMPAS/JULIAN SIHOMBING (JS)

Five presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs (from left to right) Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi, Jusuf Kalla (presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was absent), Hamzah Haz-Agum Gumelar, Amien Rais-Siswono Yudo Husodo, and Wiranto-Salahuddin Wahid took a photo together after attending the drawing of numbers for the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs on Sunday (23/5/2004) in the main meeting room of the General Election Commission, Jakarta.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

Presidential candidate from the Golkar Party, General (Ret.) Wiranto, together with his running mate vice presidential candidate Salahuddin Wahid were declared in the Bidakara Building, Jakarta on May 11th, 2004.

KOMPAS/JULIAN SIHOMBING

President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Chairman of the PBNU, Hasyim Muzadi, waved to the guests and journalists on Thursday (6/5/2004) at the Proclamation Monument courtyard. They officially nominated themselves as the President and Vice President candidates for the 2004 Presidential Election.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The duet of Amien-Siswono, who is the General Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and also the presidential candidate from PAN, Amien Rais (left), raised their hands together with the Chairman of the Indonesian Farmers' Association (HKTI) who is also the vice presidential candidate, Siswono Yudo Husodo, in the Declaration of Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates at the Joeang Building, Central Jakarta, on Sunday (9/5/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGUS)

The presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, accompanied by the vice presidential candidate, Jusuf Kalla, answer journalists' questions after submitting their candidacy documents at the General Elections Commission (KPU), Jalan Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, Monday (10/5/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar, Candidates for President and Candidate for Vice President from PPP

The presidential election campaign of 2004 was held for 30 days from June 1st to July 1st, 2004. The campaign took the form of limited meetings, dialogues and face-to-face interactions, as well as public meetings.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

Five pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates wave their hands before signing the Ready to Win Ready to Lose inscription in the first presidential election campaign at the National Monument, Jakarta, on Tuesday (1/6). The five pairs are (from left to right): Wiranto-Salahuddin Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi, Amien Rais-Siswono Yudo Husodo, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla, and Hamzah Haz-Agum Gumelar.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Supporters of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the National Mandate Party, Amien Rais and Siswono Yudo Husodo, waved their hands to the duo after an open campaign at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, on Saturday (26/6/2004).

KOMPAS/IWAN SETIYAWAN

The presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, during a campaign in Blambangan town square, Banyuwangi, East Java, on March 13, 2004.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Presidential candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Soekarnoputri, walked while waving her hand followed by hundreds of people who tried to get close during the 2004 presidential campaign at Pulogadung Terminal, East Jakarta, on Tuesday (2/5/2004).

KOMPAS/ARIF WIBOWO

A mother crossed in front of the Yogyakarta Main Post Office on Tuesday (15/6/2004), with a background of large billboards offering candidates for the 2004-2009 Indonesian presidential election. These billboards now decorate strategic corners of the city of Yogyakarta, competing to be seen by many people.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO (PRI)

Approaching the presidential and vice-presidential candidate election on July 5th, the candidates have begun actively promoting themselves, such as installing billboards by one of the presidential candidates on Kyai Mojo Street, right beside the west side of Semanggi Solo Bridge, on Wednesday (9/6/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A number of students who are members of the sympathizers of the Wiranto-Wahid duo added to the excitement of the first presidential election campaign, which was attended by five pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates, by playing the kendang at the National Monument in Jakarta on Tuesday (1/6/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

Three female dancers who are members of sympathizers of the duet of Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar joined in enlivening the first presidential election campaign which was attended by five pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates at the National Monument, Jakarta, on Tuesday (1/6/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Two supporters holding different party flags joined in to enliven the campaign of presidential duo Megawati Soekarnoputri - Hasyim Muzadi which was quiet at the Basketball Hall, Gelora Bung Karno Complex, Jakarta, on Friday (4/6/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The first day of the presidential and vice presidential candidate debate organized by the General Election Commission featured the pairs Amien Rais-Siswono Yudo Husodo and Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi at Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta on Wednesday (June 30, 2004). The debate was considered to be suboptimal, among other reasons, due to the extremely limited time allotted.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

Presidential candidate from Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN) Amien Rais (right) raises both his hands accompanied by presidential candidate from Partai Demokrat Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (left) at the Vision and Cultural Strategy of Presidential Candidates 2004 event held by the Jakarta Arts Council and SCTV at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Monday (14/6). A similar presidential debate will be held by the General Elections Commission.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates (from left) Wiranto-Salahuddin Wahid, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla, and Hamzah Haz-Agum Gumelar attended a candidate debate held by the General Election Commission at Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, on Thursday (1/7/2004).

Based on the results of the recapitulation of vote counting by the KPU from 32 provinces plus the results of elections abroad, the number of voters who used their right to vote was 121,293,844 people, while registered voters were 155,048,803. The level of political participation for the presidential election reached 78.22 percent, lower than the legislative election which was 84.07 percent, (Kompas, 27 July 2004).

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

Hamzah Haz accompanied by his wife submitted their ballot paper at polling station 31, Matraman, Jakarta on Monday (5/7/2004).

KOMPAS/JULIAN SIHOMBING

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, accompanied by her husband, Taufik Kiemas, showed her ink-dipped little finger indicating that she had already exercised her right to vote in the 2004 presidential election on Monday (5/7/2004) at polling station 46, Kebagusan Street, South Jakarta.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Wiranto put his voting ballot that has been casted in polling station number 029 Bambu Apus, East Jakarta, on Monday (5/7/2004).

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG

Presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono voted at polling station 05 in Nagrak Village, Gunung Putri District, Bogor on Monday, July 5th, 2004.

ARIF WIBOWO

Presidential candidate Amien Rais and his family wave and sing as they walk together to the polling place (TPS) 132 near his residence in Pandeansari Hamlet, Condongcatur Village, Sleman Regency, DI Yogyakarta, Monday (5/7/2004). In Amien's opinion, the election is now running smoothly and transparently so that he is optimistic that he can advance to the second round in September.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

Former number one person of the Republic of Indonesia, Soeharto, cast his vote at polling station 002 Gondangdia, Central Jakarta.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO (PRI)

The atmosphere of the presidential and vice-presidential election voting in TPS 86, Banjarsari, Solo, on Monday (5/7/2004) was lively because almost all of the TPS 86 officials were wearing traditional Javanese attire.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO (PRI)

The atmosphere during the presidential and vice-presidential elections at Polling Station 86, Banjarsari, Solo on Monday (5/7/2004) was lively as almost all of the personnel at TPS 86 were wearing traditional Javanese clothing.

KOMPAS/STEFANUS OSA TRIYATNA

As soon as the electronic door opened, a number of consumers immediately rushed into Carrefour Duta Merlin hypermarket in Central Jakarta on Monday (5/7/2004). The hypermarket had just reopened at 1pm as its employees had to participate in the presidential election. People flocked in with their families to shop.

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG

The atmosphere on the streets of Jakarta during the presidential election on Monday (5/7/2004) appeared quiet, much like on an inner-city toll road in the Pancoran area of South Jakarta. Despite not seeing long lines like during the legislative election in April, the citizens of the capital were enthusiastic to go to the polling stations.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

A form C-2 paper from Polling Station (TPS) 79 Pondok Kelapa, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, shows that the number of invalid votes in the presidential election reached 128.

KOMPAS/ANTON WISNU NUGROHO

An electoral committee member of Cijantung Sub-district accompanied by several witnesses conducted a recount of invalid ballot papers on Tuesday (6/7/2004) as they were previously marked incorrectly while the ballot papers were still folded.

Out of the five presidential and vice-presidential candidate pairs, the SBY-JK pair received the most votes, followed by the Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi pair. The breakdown is as follows: Wiranto and Salahuddin Wahid (26,286,788 votes or 22.15 percent); Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi (31,569,104 votes or 26.61 percent); Amien Rais and Siswono Yudo Husodo (17,392,931 votes or 14.66 percent); SBY and Jusuf Kalla (39,838,184 votes or 33.57 percent); Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar (3,569,861 votes or 3.01 percent).

KOMPAS/YUNIADHI AGUNG

Presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (left) shook hands with presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri during the drawing of ballot numbers for the presidential election at the General Election Commission (KPU) building in Jakarta on Saturday (30/5/2004). For both of them, this public meeting at the KPU was the first time since the 2004 election. Yudhoyono and Megawati shook hands twice, before and after the drawing.

ANTARA/SAPTONO

Presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (right) shakes hands with the Chairman of Golkar Party, Akbar Tandjung (left), during their meeting at Akbar's residence in Jakarta on Thursday (12/8/2004) night. This political gathering is a first step to forming a coalition in order to win the second round of the presidential election.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Presidential candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Megawati Soekarnoputri, shook hands with the Chairman of the National Mandate Party, Amien Rais, before entering Amien's residence in the Widya Chandra Complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday (10/8/2004). Amien stated that no commitment was made during his meeting with presidential candidate Megawati and that this meeting was the same as his meeting with presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono from the Democratic Party some time ago in Yogyakarta. According to Amien, PAN's stance on the second round of the presidential elections will be decided through a plenary meeting.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

A worker was seen cleaning a painting depicting two presidential and vice-presidential candidates who were leading the vote count in the Pasar Baru area of ​​Central Jakarta on Wednesday, July 7, 2004. The pair of Megawati Soekarnoputri - Hasyim Muzadi and the pair of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - Jusuf Kalla were confirmed to advance to the second round of the 2004 presidential election.

From the results, two pairs of candidates, namely Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi and SBY-JK, have advanced to the second round. The Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi pair is supported by seven parties, namely the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Golkar, the United Development Party, the Reform Star Party, the Prosperous Justice Party, the Concerned Nation's Party, and the Indonesian National Party of Marhaenism. Meanwhile, the SBY-JK pair is supported by six parties, including the Democratic Party, the National Awakening Party, the Justice and Prosperity Party, the National Mandate Party, the Crescent Star Party, and the Justice and Unity Party of Indonesia.

KOMPAS/M YUNIADHI AGUNG (MYE)

A man is looking at a computer screen that shows the number of votes from each city in Jakarta during the recapitulation of the results of the presidential election vote count at the DKI Jakarta Provincial level, which was held by the Jakarta General Election Commission at the Nikko Hotel on Friday (9/7/2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

The founder of the Carter Center (an election monitoring institution) and former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, accompanied by the Chairman of the General Elections Commission Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, held a press conference at the General Elections Commission building in Jakarta on Saturday (3/7/2004). Carter was in Indonesia to directly observe the presidential election process.

During the second round of the presidential election, the number of registered voters reached 150,644,184 people. Of this figure, 77.44 percent or 116,662,705 people exercised their right to vote. Then, of the total number of votes, 97.94 percent or 114,257,054 votes were declared valid. The SBY-Jusuf Kalla pair was determined by the KPU as the elected president-vice presidential pair for the 2004-2009 period with the pair's vote acquisition of 69,266,350 votes. Meanwhile, the Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi pair won 44,990,704 votes or 39.38 percent, (Kompas, October 5, 2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

Presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, received congratulations from several guests after participating in the 59th anniversary of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, on Tuesday (5/10/2004). Yudhoyono, who was declared the winner of the second round of presidential elections by the General Election Commission (KPU) on Monday (4/10/2004), attended in his capacity as a retired military officer and TNI elder.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO (AGS)

Presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, smiled as he walked from the pendapa to his house in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java, on Monday (4/10/2004) night. Yudhoyono was grateful after hearing the announcement of the results of the General Election Commission's (KPU) recapitulation, which declared him and Jusuf Kalla as the elected president-vice president pair in the 2004 election. The KPU also stated that the upcoming agenda is reconciliation among all Indonesian people after competing in the 2004 election for eight months.

SBY was the first president elected by the people directly after Indonesia's independence. The SBY-JK pair were inaugurated as president and vice president for the 2004-2009 period by the MPR on October 20, 2004. In his first state address, SBY invited all Indonesian people to work hard to face the tough challenges facing the nation and state. He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the fifth President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz. who during his term of office as president and vice president from 2001 to 2004 had guarded the constitution, led the government, the life of the nation and state well, (Kompas, 21 October 2004).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was the 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia or the first president elected directly by the people of Indonesia.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono accompanied by his wife Kristiani Herawati, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and his wife Mufidah Jusuf, and Chairman of MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid waving their hands after attending the inauguration ceremony of the president and vice president for the period of 2004-2009 at the DPR/MPR Building, Jakarta, Wednesday (20/10/2004).

KOMPAS/JULIAN SIHOMBING

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (center) took a photo together with all members of the United Indonesia Cabinet at the Merdeka Palace on Thursday, September 21, 2004. The cabinet consisted of 34 ministers as well as the Attorney General and Cabinet Secretary. They were inaugurated by the president in the morning. Among the cabinet members, four were women and most were fresh faces.