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span style="color: #000000;">Deputy Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama apologized on Thursday to Gerindra Party founder Prabowo Subianto for failing to meet him personally prior to resigning from the party.

Ahok gave up his Gerindra membership on Wednesday to voice his opposition of the party'€™s attempt to scrap the direct election of regional leaders.

"I am sorry if my failure to personally meet Pak Prabowo when I tendered my resignation was considered inappropriate. I really apologize for that," he said. 

Ahok explained that he rarely forged communications with Prabowo and that the last time he met the former Army commander was more than a year ago.

"But I am always in intense communications with Pak Hashim [Prabowo's younger brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo]. I met him personally the other day to tender my resignation and discuss other issues," he said. 

"As I thought meeting Pak Hashim was already enough, I had not considered communicating further with Pak Prabowo." 

The former East Belitung regent explained that Hashim had accepted his resignation, but regretted his failure to discuss the problem with the party prior to making the matter public.

Prabowo said late on Wednesday that Ahok had not personally approached him to discuss his move, but that it was his prerogative to quit the party.

"He [Ahok] has not approached me personally to tender his resignation," Prabowo said at the private residence of top Golkar Party politician Akbar Tanjung. "But it is his right to do so. I won't hold him back," he added. 

Prabowo's Red-and-White Coalition, which controls a majority of the House of Representatives, has been supporting the controversial regional election bill that would scrap the people's right to directly elect their governors, mayors and regents.

The deliberation of the bill has triggered protests across the archipelago over concerns that such an electoral system could take the country back to the Soeharto era.

The House, the current term of which is due to end on Sept. 30, is slated to vote on the bill on Sept. 25. (ren/nfo)