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KPU Jakarta urges gubernatorial candidates to avoid personal attacks
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Gubernatorial candidate pairs Agus Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni (left to right), Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, and Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno attend the first gubernatorial candidate debate in Jakarta on Jan. 13. (JP/Seto Wardhana.)
T
he Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) has urged all gubernatorial candidates to avoid making personal attacks during the next official debate on Jan. 27.
"We hope that the candidates do not bring up personal matters. The rules of the debate are clear — the candidates can't discuss sensitive matters that could potentially cause controversy," KPU Jakarta head Sumarno told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Sumarno said that some candidates had brought up personal matters during the first official debate on Jan. 13, although they did not violate any rules.
Sylviana Murni, the running mate of Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, called Anies Baswedan "Mr. Minister" during the debate.
Anies is the former education and culture minister who was dismissed from the position by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in July last year.
Meanwhile, incumbent Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said that Anies and his running mate Sandiaga Uno had the "style of a lecturer" because Anies kept saying that Ahok prioritized physical development over human development.
Ahok said that human development without physical development was only a theory a lecturer would teach.
Sumarno said that Ahok's statement had reaped public criticism.
"There are many people who said to me that Ahok had insulted the lecturer profession, which is a noble profession," he said.
He added that KPU Jakarta planned to invite each campaign team to take part in an evaluation of the first debate within the next two days.
KPU Jakarta would convey their suggestions during the evaluation process, he said.
