Kalla's campaign team accuses SBY counterparts of character assassination

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 07/03/2009 10:14 AM  |  Presidential Election

The head of Jusuf Kalla's presidential election campaign team has accused certain members of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's campaign team of trying to "assassinate" Kalla's election efforts through racist statements.

"I hope Hatta Rajasa [the head of SBY's campaign head] takes action against the Mallarangengs [brother's working on SBY's campaign team]. They should be controlled, especially when it comes to voicing their opinions on the ideology of Bhineka Tunggal Ika [Unity in Diversity] and Pancasila," the head of Kalla's campaign team, incumbent Industrial Minister Fahmi Idris, told The Jakarta Post via a text message Friday.

Choel, Rizal and Andi Mallarangeng are three prominent figures in SBY's team.

Andi was recently caught on camera saying that "it is not yet the time for the Bugis ethnic people to lead the nation" during a campaign rally in the predominantly Bugis city of Makassar.

The Mallarangengs themselves are also of Bugis descent.

Achmad Mubarok, deputy chairman of SBY's Democratic Party, told The Post that Andi had been misinterpreted.

 

 

 

"His statement reflected his own feelings as a Bugis individual. He personally felt that as a Bugis, it was not his time yet to lead the nation," he said.

 

"Andi has also apologized if his statement offended anybody," he added.(hdt)

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