The Democrats Party's presidential and vice presidential candidates, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Muhammad Yusuf Kalla, were leading in the provisional results of the presidential election based on votes counted by the General Elections Commission (KPU) as of 01:07 a.m. on Sunday. Yudhoyono-Kalla secured 33.56 percent of the votes, or 30,318,150 of the 90,344,938 votes counted.

The Megawati Sukarnoputri-Hasyim Muzadi pair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) was trailing with 26.21 percent (23,676,373 votes).

The Democrats Party has said it will concentrate on making personal approaches to parties which have the potential to win its candidates, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla, a significant number of votes in the second round of Indonesia`s presidential race. "There will be stiff competition in the second round of the election on September 20. Thus, we need to seek support from different parties through person-to-person contacts," a member of the party`s campaign team, Sutan Bhatoegana, told ANTARA in a telephone interview.

However, Sutan said his side would take the institutional approach into account later, as the Democrats are maintaining their coalition with the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) and the Crescent and Star Party (PBB).

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