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KPU Jakarta head denies special relationship with Anies
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Jakarta General Elections Commission chairman Sumarno speaks to reporters at City Hall on June 15. (kompas.com/Kurnia Sari Aziza)
T
he head of the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) denied he had a special relationship with gubernatorial candidate Anies Baswedan, as reported by volunteers of the latter’s rival Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama during a hearing at the Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) on Thursday.
Sumarno said he had never had a personal relationship with Anies before the latter registered as a gubernatorial candidate, although both of them were former members of the Islamic Students Association (HMI).
He admitted that he had met Anies on some occasions but no personal relationship was ever built. "I became officially acquainted with Anies after he registered [with the KPU Jakarta] and we named him [and Sandiaga Uno] as gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidates," Sumarno told the DKPP commissioners.
He added that he has never made personal calls to the candidates.
Sumarno also responded to volunteers who accused him of having intentionally met Anies during a revote at one polling station in Kalibata, South Jakarta, on Feb. 19, saying that the meeting was coincidental as he had not known Anies would be there.
Sumarno was seen greeting Anies. The two shook hands and kissed each others' cheeks.
A volunteer group called Cinta Ahok reported the KPU Jakarta head to the DKPP on March 16 for a series of alleged incidents it claimed indicated he favored Anies.
It began with concern over Sumarno uploading onto his WhatsApp account a photo of a massive Dec. 2 protest that had been organized to push for the prosecution of Ahok on blasphemy charges.
