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Ahok to hold another mass campaign before voting day
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Gearing up -- Jakartan gubernatorial candidate pair Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat attend a mass rally in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Feb. 4. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri (center) was also present. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
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akartan incumbent candidate Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama is set to hold a pesta rakyat (people’s party) on Feb. 11, four days before voting day in the city's gubernatorial election, to mark the end of his campaign and to thank all of his supporters.
“It won’t be in the form of concert, but a pesta rakyat. There will be culinary [booths]. We want to express our thanks to all of our supporters at the end of the campaign period. The event may take place in Kemayoran [in Central Jakarta], so that it could be a big event,” Ahok said during a mass rally in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Saturday.
Hundreds of supporters attended the campaign event, which took the form of a musical concert. A number of famous musicians and bands, including legendary rock band Slank, performed.
“We also want to say thank you to all the musicians, like Slank, Jay Subiakto and others, because we didn’t pay them. They themselves took the initiative to participate in the event. I never thought to hold such a big event like this,” Ahok said.
“It may change an old stigma that we usually pay celebrities [to promote us], but now we don’t.”
Ahok’s rival, Agus Harimurti and his running mate, Sylviana Murni, are also scheduled to hold a large campaign event on Feb. 11, as will Islam Defenders Front (FPI) supporters who will stage a mass rally as a repeat of their Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 anti-Ahok rallies. The group claimed the upcoming rally would be a mass prayer to pray for the security and safety of the Jakartan election. (ebf)
