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Teman Ahok sets strategy for ‘illogical’ verification procedure
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A mall visitor holds a "KTP Gue buat Ahok" (My Identity card is for Ahok) T-shirt at the Teman Ahok booth in Puri Indah Mall, West Jakarta, on April. 24. Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has announced that he will run as an independent candidate pairing with Jakarta Financial and Asset Management Board ( BPKAD ) head Heru Budi Hartono in the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election. (Antara/Dodo Karundeng)
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akarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s biggest supporters grouped under the banner of Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok) are preparing a strategy to face the difficult ID card verification process so that Ahok can continue to run as an independent candidate.
“Whatever regulation they issue, we are ready. Don’t be doubtful of our militancy [in supporting Ahok],” said Teman Ahok volunteer I Gusti Putu Arta in a discussion held late on Wednesday as reported by kompas.com.
Gusti referred to a revision of the Regional Elections Law approved by the House of Representatives last week that among other things, stipulates that that those who have handed over photocopies of their ID cards to meet candidacy support requirements must have their identities verified.
The General Elections Commission is given 14 days to verify the copies of IDs. The law also stipulates that if a supporter is not at home during the verification process, the candidate’s campaign team has three days to accompany the supporter to the nearest polling station for verification.
“We have prepared a strategy. We are ready to fight in the election,” said Gusti, who questioned the inclusion of what he called an “illogical stipulation” contained in the new law that gives the group only three days to accompany the supporter to the polling station for verification.
He also questioned whether commission was capable of carrying out the verifications of one million ID card photocopies within 14 days.
“Those who are involved in drafting the law have only given us a boost of political adrenalin. God willing, we will pass the verification,” said Gusti, who is former member of the General Elections Commission.
Teman Ahok has said previously that its volunteers have managed to collect nearly one million ID photocopies from voters in Jakarta, although the law only require a Jakarta gubernatorial independent candidate to collect 532,000. (bbn)
