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Jakarta Post

Gerindra to demand Ahok take different stance

Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party deputy chairmanFadli Zon said he intended to immediately summon Deputy Jakarta Governor Basuki'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama in relation to his defense of direct elections forregional leaders

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Tue, September 9, 2014 Published on Sep. 9, 2014 Published on 2014-09-09T20:28:56+07:00

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G

reat Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party deputy chairmanFadli Zon said he intended to immediately summon Deputy Jakarta Governor Basuki'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama in relation to his defense of direct elections forregional leaders.

A majority of members of the House of Representatives -- all of whom belong to the Red-and-White Coalition led by losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto -- have voiced support for a proposal that seeks to reinstate the defunct regional election system that was based on voting by members of the Regional Legislative Councils. The proposal is part of the regional elections bill currently being debated in the House.

However, Ahok, a Gerindra member, has said that the reinstatement plan would only tarnish the very essence of reformasi and the democracy that Indonesia has been building.

'If [he] isn't on the same path [with us], then he has to choose. It's going to be: either respect the party's stance or leave,' Fadli said on Tuesday in response to Ahok's statement.

As a party cadre, Fadli said Ahok should be fighting for the same ideology and ideas, rather than blatantly stating his resistance.

'We will summon him. A political party isn't an NGO or a society movement. We have our own mechanism,' he said.

Fadli said the summoning would be to directly talk with Ahok about his statement.

The deputy governor said earlier that he was ready to dissociate from the party should the House pass the regional election bill in favor of the Coalition.

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