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Regional Elections Law holding me hostage: Ahok
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Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama speaks to journalists after announcing his decision to run in next year's gubernatorial election on a party ticket. (The Jakarta Post/rez)
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akarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama said on Friday that he was held hostage by the Regional Elections Law as it forced him to take around four months’ leave before the Jakarta gubernatorial election in February next year.
The choice of whether to take leave for an election campaign is the right of any candidate, and it should be the same way for an incumbent candidate, said the governor.
On Tuesday, Ahok filed a judicial review with the Constitutional Court over the General Elections Commission (KPU) regulation stipulating that an incumbent gubernatorial candidate must take leave during a campaign period.
Ahok argued that he could not take leave during the period because he and his team had to prepare the 2017 Jakarta City Budget Bill. He said he was reluctant to delegate the job to his subordinates as he wanted to ensure that the budget was well-planned.
“I just want the Constitutional Court to issue a decision, regarding whether it is right if the law forces me to take leave even though I do not want to run an election campaign. The end of the year is a critical time for regional budgeting arrangements,” Ahok said at City Hall on Friday.
The governor also argued that according to a presidential decree, an incumbent had to serve for five years, and therefore forcing an incumbent to take four months of leave would be a violation of their obligations.
Ahok also brushed off suggestions that he might misuse his position if he did not take leave during the campaign period. He said that he never used city funds to boost his electability. (bbn)
