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#BalikinKTPGue, Ahok faces Twitter backlash over decision to scrap independent bid
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Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama (center) and representatives of Teman Ahok, the Golkar Party, the NasDem Party and the Hanura Party pose for photograph after Ahok announced that he would run in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election on a political party ticket. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan)
T
span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Twitter hashtag #BalikinKTPgue or #ReturnmyIDcard trended hours after Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama announced his decision to drop his much-praised independent bid and run as a candidate of political parties in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election.
Twitter user Oky Eendra Wiguna with handle @eendracool wrote, “Lesson learned. In politics, no independence, no consistency, only drama #BalikinKTPGue.”
Another Twitter user with the handle @sismustassem said it was a new era in which people could be duped before an election because “being tricked after an election is just too mainstream”.
Hindra Liu, 33, said he had pledged support for Ahok by giving a copy of his ID card to Teman Ahok, a volunteer group that supported Ahok’s independent bid. He said Ahok’s decision, announced on Wednesday at Teman Ahok's headquarters, was upsetting as the main reason he had supported him was that he did not trust political parties.
“I’m so disappointed by Ahok’s decision. But I respect it. I hope he can do his best if he’s elected,” Hindra told The Jakarta Post.
Ahok, however, did not seem bothered by the backlash, saying, “Those who are disappointed [by my decision], I want to ask you: did you give [your] ID card so that I can be governor again or so that I can fight against all political parties?”
Ahok’s running mate, Heru Budi Hartono, said that 1 million copies of ID cards were vote pledges and therefore those who gave them could still vote for Ahok in the election.
Teman Ahok spokesperson Singgih Widyastono downplayed the hashtag, saying it was orchestrated by Ahok’s rivals.
The tweets have no substance whatsoever, Singgih said. (ary)
