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AKARTA: The preliminary campaign for the Jakarta governor election organized by the Hidayat Nur Wahid-Didik Rachbini ticket did not look promising at a recent campaign rally as local residents seemed to pay more attention to the celebrity entourage the pair brought with them rather than their campaign message on Sunday.

The candidate pair greeted residents living along the Krukut River in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta, and were accompanied by celebrities including presenter Eko Patrio, movie star Primus Yustisio and soap opera star Lukman Hakim.

The first two celebrities are members of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

“I only came to this event because Eko Patrio was coming and I was informed that there would be a free meal during the event. I don’t even know the candidates,” a local resident told kompas.com.

Many residents were seen shouting for Primus when he was about to deliver a speech, and seemed more interested in having their photo taken with the film star than listening to the candidates’ plans for the city.

A member of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Hidayat is currently a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission V overseeing transportation, public works and housing, while Didik is an executive at PAN’s center executive board.