TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Ahok, Yusril square up for 2017 election
Former law and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra talks to journalists after his request for a judicial review of the Presidential Election Law was rejected by the Constitutional Court on March 21, 2014
Change Size
F
span class="inline inline-center">Former law and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra talks to journalists after his request for a judicial review of the Presidential Election Law was rejected by the Constitutional Court on March 21, 2014. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama has accepted the gauntlet thrown down by senior lawyer Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who has indicated he may stand in next year's gubernatorial election.
'It is good. I hope that Bang Yusril really will take part in the race,' Ahok said in Jakarta on Friday.
Yusril, a former state secretary and law and human rights minister, said on Thursday he hoped to go head to head with Ahok in the contest, expressing his confidence that he could defeat the incumbent.
No political party has officially announced its support for Yusril's bid, but the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) says it is considering nominating him.
Ahok and Yisrul are both native to Bangka-Belitung province; Ahok was born in the Bangka town of Manggar, while Yusril was born in Belitung, a regency of which Ahok was once regent.
Ahok was reluctant to comment on Yusril's chances. 'It is the people who will decide. I have no right to comment, especially given we come from the same kampung.'
According to Yusril, if he can gain political party support, he will emerge as the strongest contender to Ahok.
'I want a head-to-head fight with Ahok. I want voters to concentrate on only two candidates. It would be similar to the situation during the presidential election: Pak Jokowi versus Pak Prabowo,' he said as reported by tribunnews.com.
He admitted, however, that his real ambition was to fight the 2019 presidential election.
Yusril is the latest figure to express an interest in fighting the Jakarta gubernatorial election, with former youth and sports minister Adhyaksa Dault and businessman Sandiaga Uno also throwing their hats into the ring.
According to a recent survey, the strongest contenders to Ahok are Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil and Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini. (bbn)(+)
