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Anies’ campaign team denies vote-buying allegation
The campaign team of Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Anies Baswedan and his running mate Sandiaga Uno has denied vote-buying allegations, saying that the candidate pair’s donations to orphans, a tradition during Islamic New Year celebrations, may have been misconstrued as vote-buying.
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Gerindra Party leader Prabowo Subianto (second left), Prosprerous Justice Party (PKS) politician Salim Segaf al-Jufri (right) and PKS president Sohibul Iman (left) flank the 2017 gubernatorial candidate pair backed by the two parties, Anies Baswedan (third left) and Sandiaga Uno during the campaign team meeting in Jakarta Oct. 11, 2016. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
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he campaign team of Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Anies Baswedan and his running mate Sandiaga Uno has denied vote-buying allegations, saying that the candidate pair’s donations to orphans, a tradition during Islamic New Year celebrations, may have been misconstrued as vote-buying.
“They may have misconstrued donations to orphans in West Jakarta,” said Syarif, secretary to the Anies-Sandiaga campaign team, as reported by tribunnews.com on Friday. He did not elaborate on the location or time of the donation-giving event.
The Jakarta Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu Jakarta) has warned all gubernatorial candidates against committing campaign violations.
Bawaslu Jakarta has issued its findings in connection to alleged campaign violations committed by the three pairs. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni have allegedly committed 15 campaign violations, while incumbents Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Saiful Hidayat have allegedly committed six campaign violations.
Bawaslu Jakarta has identified eight types of violations during the campaign period, including vote-buying, the use of state facilities, the involvement of children and lack of campaign event permits.
Syarif said Anies’ campaign team visited Bawaslu Jakarta to provide clarification on the matter.
“The donations were given to the children, not to voters,” Syarif said, adding that such donations should not be prohibited during the campaign period, as the donations were faith-based.
In regard to allegations of campaigning at houses of worship, Syarif said Anies stopped by mosques and mushollas (prayer rooms) to pray, and while he had been asked to speak during his stops, he had never spoken about his programs. (bbn)
