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Elections watchdog probes Ahok- Djarot TV commercial
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Incumbent gubernatorial candidate pair Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama (second left) and Djarot Saiful Hidayat (second right) flanked by splinter faction of the United Development Party chairman Djan Faridz (left) and Ahok-Dharot campaign team chairman Prasetio Edi Marsudi (right) speak to journalists after the declaration of the PPP faction's support for the pair on Oct. 10. (Antara Photo/Reno Esnir)
T
he Jakarta Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) is investigating a television commercial campaign created by the United Development Party (PPP) faction led by Djan Faridz that appears to seek support for Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat in next year’s gubernatorial election.
On Saturday, the PPP faction led by Romahurmuziy reported Ahok and Djarot's campaign team to Bawaslu for allegedly violating campaign rules from the commercial’s airing.
"We are still investigating whether the advertisement can be categorized as campaigning or not. We have summoned the parties who filed the report this evening," Jakarta Bawaslu head Mimah Susanti told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Mimah said only the Jakarta General Election Commission (KPU Jakarta) had the authority to advertise candidates' campaign material through mass media. The candidates or their campaign teams could make their own advertisements but they had to run it through the KPU before broadcasting, she said.
Meanwhile, the period for campaigning through mass media had not yet begun, as it would start from Jan. 29 to Feb. 11 next year, she said.
Separately, Jakarta KPU head Sumarno reportedly said the Ahok-Djarot campaign team had violated the regulation by airing the commercial.
The commission is now working with Bawaslu to investigate the commercial’s material.
The PPP Jakarta chapter head from Romahurmuziy's camp, Abdul Azis, said the party had not created the advertisement to back Ahok and Djarot in the election. It has been reported the camp endorses Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni in the election. (bbn)
