Indonesia's Aceh province elects ex-rebel as governor

This picture taken in Banda Aceh on April 5, 2012 shows Aceh gubernatorial candidates Zaini Abdullah (left) and his deputy Muzakir Manaf (right) attending a debate in Banda Aceh. -- PHOTO: AFP

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AFP) - Indonesia's only region where Islamic syariah laws apply elected another former rebel as governor Tuesday, in Aceh's second election since a devastating tsunami in 2004 and the end of a 30-year war.

The powerful Aceh Party's Zaini Abdullah - the former 'foreign minister' of the defunct rebel Free Aceh Movement (Gam) - beat four other candidates in a landslide victory in the largely autonomous province.

'The candidate pair Zaini Abdullah and Muzakir Manaf... will serve as governor and vice governor for the period 2012 to 2017,' Aceh electoral commission head Abdul Salam Poroh announced.

Mr Abdullah won with 1.3 million votes, more than 55 per cent, while his main rival, incumbent and independent Irwandi Yusuf, came second with around 30 per cent.