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Ahok criticizes Sumarsono for funding Betawi group
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Staying optimistic – Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama poses for a picture with actress Astrid Tiar during a campaign event in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Nov. 18. Ahok on Monday criticized acting governor Sumarsono for giving a grant to the Bamus Betawi group. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A.)
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span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama has said he regrets acting governor Sumarsono’s decision to stop grants for the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police but to give funds to a Betawi group.
Ahok said his program of giving grants to the TNI and police as planned in the 2017 budget aimed to establish cooperation with the institutions in building parking lots and low-cost apartments.
“Which [factor] is most expensive in Jakarta? Land. Who owns huge [amounts of] land in the city? The TNI and police,” Ahok said on Monday as reported by kompas.com.
Regarding the funds for the Betawi Culture Consultative Body (Bamus Betawi) group, representing Jakarta’s native people, Ahok said he would not give grants to organizations that made unclear contributions to cultural development.
He would prefer to give funding to an art house that planned to perform overseas, he added.
“Do not say that I’m anti-Betawi. An organization that conducts political activities should not be given funds,” Ahok said.
Bamus Betawi is reportedly calling for Jakarta natives not to elect Ahok in next year’s gubernatorial election. (jun)
