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I never meant to insult Risma, Ahok pleads
Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has claimed he never meant to make insulting remarks about Surabaya following a protest from Surabaya Mayor Tri "Risma" Rismaharini, who criticized Ahok for apparently denigrating the city in the latest public spat between two possible competitors in next year's Jakarta gubernatorial election.
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Jakarta Governor Jakarta Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama speaks to journalists at City Hall in Central Jakarta on June 20. (The Jakarta Post/wienda parwitasari)
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akarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has claimed he never meant to make insulting remarks about Surabaya following a protest from Surabaya Mayor Tri "Risma" Rismaharini, who criticized Ahok for apparently denigrating the city in the latest public spat between two possible competitors in next year's Jakarta gubernatorial election.
Ahok said his statement comparing Surabaya to South Jakarta was never intended to belittle the capital city of East Java.
"I am confused. Risma got sensitive and angry as if I was pitted against her," he told journalists at City Hall on Friday, adding that the media had misinterpreted his statements.
Ahok said he did not mean to compare Jakarta's size with Surabaya's. What he meant by comparing Surabaya and South Jakarta was that the two are both local administrations. Therefore, in Ahok's view, it would not be appropriate to compare Jakarta, as a province with five municipalities and one regency, with Surabaya, as a single municipality, in terms of city development.
Ahok stressed he had never insulted Risma's hard work and that he had learned a lot from her, particularly in how to develop sidewalks, arrange city budgets through electronic systems and introduce information technology into license application services.
The outspoken governor said on Thursday he had praised Risma for successfully constructing proper public facilities in Surabaya such as sidewalks, something that Jakarta was still struggling to do. However, in his statement, Ahok said Surabaya's success might have come from the more manageable size of Surabaya, which is roughly equal to that of South Jakarta.
Risma took the statement poorly and she accused Ahok of looking down on the progress of her city and hurting the dignity of Surabaya.
"What did Surabaya ever do to Ahok? We work here only for the welfare [of the people], not to show off," she said at a press conference on Thursday evening in response to Ahok's remarks as quoted by kompas.com.
Tensions between the two city leaders are rising. Ahok and Risma might face off against one another in next year's gubernatorial election in Jakarta. Risma has repeatedly stated that she does not want to run for governor, but she has received mounting support from political parties of late, and she may yet change her mind. (rin)
