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Budi Waseso may challenge Ahok
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National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian (left) shakes hands with National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso (right) after a working meeting with House Commission III overseeing legal affairs on June 16. (Antara/M. Agung Rajasa)
H
ead of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso may challenge Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election as the Gerindra Party has hinted at nominating him as its gubernatorial candidate.
Budi was not among the three initial potential candidates – former deputy defense minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, former justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra and businessman Sandiaga Uno – who were put forward for consideration earlier, but his name was later mentioned by a party politician.
Gerindra deputy chairman Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has said the party may pair Budi with Sandiaga Uno to challenge Ahok and Heru Budi Hartono – who will likely run together on an independent ticket.
Ahok and Budi have also received support from three political parties – Golkar Party, NasDem Party and Hanura Party. Their main support group, Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok) announced that its volunteers had managed to collect one million copies of Jakarta voter identity cards, required by the law for them to run as an independent pair.
Gerindra recruitment team chief Syarif said the party’s gubernatorial candidate would be announced by party chairman Prabowo Subianto sometime this month.
“Budi has a great personality and significant accomplishments, whether as a police officer or BNN chief. We also see Budi as a prominent figure. We are waiting for the decision of the party’s chairman Prabowo,” Syarif told thejakartapost.com on Monday.
Meanwhile, Sufmi said his party had communicated with Budi about the latter’s possible nomination as the party’s candidate.
Budi was formerly with the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) in 2015. During his leadership in the department, the National Police named two commissioners with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) – Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto – as suspects, a move that forced them to leave the anticorruption body.
Later, the Attorney General’s Office ceased the investigations into them.
Syarif praised Budi Waseso for demonstrating strong leadership in any position he had held. “His strong character will be suitable to lead the capital,” Syarif said. (bbn)
