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Gerindra Party gubernatorial hopeful Sandiaga Uno met with Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama at City Hall on Friday to give the administration advice on how to control the price of staple foods by using the Jakarta Smart City program.

Sandiaga, who in the past served as Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI) head, said the association had noticed rises in the prices of staple foods before and after the Idul Fitri celebrations in July. Therefore, he intended to convey his suggestion to the administration.

“I told Ahok and the Smart City management about my suggestion to control staple food prices by using the Smart City application. We hope the future developed program will help us to monitor the price so it will not rise too high,” Sandiaga said at City Hall on Friday, adding that Ahok had welcomed his suggestion.

(Read also: Sandiaga Uno gets Gerindra backing)

Sandiaga also told Ahok he had received the backing of Gerindra to run in next year's election. According to Sandiaga, Ahok expressed concern at the racial and religious  issues stoked by Gerindra politicians and said that he would be ready to fight anyone who instrumentalized such “primordial” issues in the election.

“I told him that I didn’t want to fight with him. I told him that I wanted to run in the election with a focus on economic issues, especially job creation, economic disparity and the prices of staple foods,” Sandiaga said. (evi)

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