Undeterred by his decision to run in next year’s gubernatorial election, Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama has continued his policy of evictions, although this time he needs more people to support him maintaining power.

As other candidates are currently seizing every opportunity to win over voters as the election nears, Ahok is doing the opposite.

The Jakarta administration demolished on Thursday dozens of houses belonging to 60 families and businesses in the Rawajati subdistrict, South Jakarta, though the move may affect his electability.

The eviction initially received resistance from the residents but it ran as planned as 500 personnel from the police, military and the public order agency (Satpol PP) were deployed to guard the demolition.

Some residents were seen fainting after seeing their houses being demolished by excavators.

“I don’t know where to go now since I have nothing left,” said resident Wulan, 37, who claimed to have lived in the area since she was a child.

“Ahok is paid by the people. He should be helping them when they’re in trouble, not evicting them like this.”

The city administration claimed that the homes and businesses had occupied state land that it had allocated for green space. Some residents, including Wulan, however, insisted that they owned the land because they or their parents had purchased it from the owners before them.

“My husband and I bought the land around 35 years ago,” said Adarnis, 75, who also used her house as a food stall.

A land purchase certificate was, however, the only document several residents held. They said they did not have other documents such as a land ownership certificate (SHM) to back up their claim. South Jakarta mayor Tri Kurniadi said the residents had to provide valid proof if they claimed the land belonged to them.

The administration has offered to move the residents to Marunda low-cost rental apartment in North Jakarta, but the residents have refused because it is located too far from where their children attend school.

According to data from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), a total of 113 evictions occurred in Jakarta in 2015 alone. The evictions, the institute said, affected 8,145 families and 6,283 businesses.

Ahok’s electability remains the highest among other candidates, but a recent survey by Manilka Research and Consulting showed that his electability had dropped from 49.3 percent in June to 43.6 percent in August.

Manilka said the drop in Ahok’s electability was caused by his sudden decision to run on a party ticket, not as an independent as he previously promised.

The pollster did not specifically say whether the drop was also related to his policy on evictions, but a number of people had expressed rejection of the governor because of the policy.

Separately on Thursday, Ahok said he would not cancel an eviction just because he was running in the election. He even rejected a request from the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) to postpone eviction plans in the capital.

The KPUD has been asking for a delay in evictions by the Jakarta administration in a bid to ease data collection of voters in the election.

“Since last year the KPUD has been requesting me the same thing. My answer to them has been that my job is not focused on the election. If I am eyeing to gain voters, I should have canceled all the evictions. I should have treated them as what they wanted to be treated like so that they would be sympathetic to me,” Ahok emphasized.

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