Dems confident of Foke win in runoff
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Jakarta | Fri, July 20 2012, 12:55 PM
Fauzi Bowo: (JP/P.J Leo)
The Democratic Party is sure that the Jakarta gubernatorial candidate they are endorsing, Fauzi “Foke” Bowo, will win the runoff that is slated for Sept 20.
“Anything can happen in the runoff. The Democratic Party is optimistic that Fauzi Bowo and his running mate, Nachrowi Ramli, will win the second round of the election and will be given the mandate by the people [to become governor],” Democratic Party chairman Anas Urbaningrum said on Friday as quoted by Antara news wire.
The party's confidence in their man was reasonable, as Jakartans would be rational in voting for their preferred leader in the runoff, Anas said.
“They will put into consideration what the candidates are offering and what they have achieved. They will also calculate the advantages and disadvantages in choosing a particular candidate. They will be more thorough,” he said.
Anas said the party had accepted the recapitulation result by the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU), which maintained that gubernatorial candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and running mate Basuki “Ahok” Thajaja had won the first round. He added that he hoped the runoff would pass off in a democratic and dignified manner.
The Jakarta KPU will start the administrative process for the runoff on July 23. (fzm/iwa)
