T

he United Development Party (PPP), of which City Council deputy speaker Abraham Lunggana '€” popularly known as Haji Lulung '€” is a member, is seeking to summon Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama regarding the latter'€™s controversial statements.

During a plenary session on the revised draft budget on Friday, which heard the responses from each faction, Maman Firmansyah of the PPP announced the party'€™s intention to summon the deputy governor. '€œBefore I deliver our party'€™s view on the revised draft budget, we wish to remind council leaders about the request we submitted last month to summon the deputy governor,'€ Maman said.

'€œWe regard his statements as offensive to the City Council and in violation of the law because he has failed to act ethically,'€ he said.

In July, Ahok and Lulung had a heated exchange over the city administration'€™s efforts to relocate street vendors at Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta.

Ahok criticized the deputy speaker after the latter fumed over the deputy governor'€™s statement insinuating that a city councilor was behind prolonged issues crippling Tanah Abang.

Ahok was quoted as saying that Lulung '€œdid not understand bylaws'€.

Opposition has begun to mount against Ahok as hundreds of social organizations united under the Jakarta People to Seal Ahok'€™s Mouth (Rajjam) movement staged a protest outside City Hall last month, criticizing what they deem to be inappropriate statements by the deputy governor.

Commenting on the issue, Ahok questioned the PPP faction'€™s capacity to summon him. '€œWhy would they [PPP] call me? That'€™s funny,'€ he said at the City Hall on Friday. '€œIf they wanted to call anyone, they should be calling the governor, head of the institution.'€

However, he said he was ready if the faction wanted to call him as an individual, not as deputy governor.

'€œBut I would come only if the press is allowed to come with me, and I am allowed to upload the session on YouTube. Otherwise, I would never come,'€ he said.