JARKATA 21 May (ANA) - Joko Widodo has been re-elected as Indonesia's president after last month's vote, beating former general Prabowo Subianto.

 

The result was released a day ahead of schedule in the early hours of Tuesday, amid fears of unrest.

 

Around 32,000 security personnel were deployed across the capital Jakarta, AFP news agency reports.

 

Mr Prabowo rejected the result and said he would pursue "legal avenues", but urged his supporters to stay calm.

 

Ahead of the final tally he had alleged "widespread cheating" and warned of potential street protests. In 2014 Mr Prabowo challenged an election defeat by Mr Widodo in Indonesia's constitutional court, but lost.

 

The latest vote followed a bitter campaign in which religion played a key role, but independent observers have said it was free and fair.

 

Mr Widodo won 55.5% of the vote to Mr Prabowo's 44.5%, the election commission said. More than 192 million people were eligible to vote in the 17 April poll, choosing 20,000 local and national lawmakers.

 

Azis Subekti, a witness from the retired general's campaign team, refused to sign the results.

 

"We won't give up in the face of this injustice, cheating, lies, and these actions against democracy," he said.(ANA)

FA/ANA/21 May 2019------