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'Don't talk too much', Kalla tells Ahok ahead of campaign start
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Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat arrive at the Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Oct. 25 to pick their ballot number for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election. (Antara Photo/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
V
ice President Jusuf Kalla has told Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama to engage in healthy competition and refrain from making controversial statements on the campaign trail ahead of the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election.
"My message, don't create dangerous issues. Don't cite any verses and don't talk too much," he said at his office on Friday as reported by Antara news agency.
He delivered the message to Ahok during the latter's visit to the Vice Presidential Office on Wednesday to report on his leave to campaign for reelection.
"It is a normal visit. Someone reports to his boss. He visited Jokowi [President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo] and then to me," Kalla added.
Kalla's statement referred to a recent controversy over a statement the governor made in which he cited Surah al-Maidah, verse 51 of the Quran during a working visit last month. His statement sparked protests and criticism from several Islamic groups accusing him of religious defamation.
The groups also took to the streets to press police to arrest Ahok following defamation allegations lodged against him.
Ahok and his Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat are on leave from Oct.28 to Feb.11, as part of requirements to compete in the election. Ahok and Djarot will run against Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni and Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno in the election scheduled to take place on Feb. 15.
