Golkar Co-chairman Marzuki Darusman acknowledged that the party would not be able to win last Monday's vote, but said he hoped it might gain second place.Golkar, the political vehicle for the former president Suharto during his more than three decades in power, initially set a target of winning 40 per cent of the vote.

Darusman said it was still too early to talk about forming a coalition, because only about 20 per cent of the more than 100 million votes had been counted.

A total of 48 parties contested the election. Opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI-P) Was leading with 38 per cent of the vote, followed by its potential coalition partner, the National Awakening Party, with 20 per cent.

Golkar, which convincingly won each of the six elections held during Suharto's 32-years of authoritarian rule, wastrailing in third place with 16 per cent.

The United Development Party (PPP), a Muslim-based party considered a likely Golkar ally, had 6.5 per cent, as did the National Mandate Party (PAN) of Amien Rais, a pro-reform party. The final vote tally is to be announced June 21. Voters elected 432 seats in parliament with the remaining 38 seats allocated to the Indonesian armed forces, whose members do not vote.It was not immediately known how many seats the voting percentages would translate to in Indonesia's confusing system of proportional representation.Analysts said the party that finishes top is not necessarily guaranteed the most seats in parliament.