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PDI-P vows to pay attention to activists’ protest against Ahok
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gives a speech to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) members in April 2014. The PDI-P identifies itself with the "little people." (Tempo/Marifka Wahyu Hidayat)
T
he Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has promised to pay attention to the open letter from dozens of activists under the banner of the Urban Kampung Forum on Friday protesting the possibility of the PDI-P endorsing Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
PDI-P central executive board (DPP) vice secretary general Ahmad Basarah said the party was still monitoring public opinion and would take it into consideration when they decided on candidates.
“Currently the party is still monitoring the public’s aspirations, including the request that was expressed by the forum. We take notice and pay attention to their protests,” Ahmad told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Another PDI-P politician Andreas Pareira said the party would consider the public’s suggestions, whether for or against Ahok’s nomination.
The PDI-P, the only party that has enough seats in the City Council to endorse its own gubernatorial candidate, has yet to make its decision. While some party members have expressed their opposition to Ahok, others want the PDI-P to endorse him, paired with PDI-P politician, Djarot Saiful Hidayat. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been reported to be supporting Ahok by wooing PDI-P’s chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Ahok on Wednesday claimed that Megawati had given him the party’s support.
On Friday, dozens of scholars and activists published an open letter to Jokowi and Megawati. They asked the party not to endorse Ahok because the incumbent’s policies, especially in relation to forced evictions, Jakarta Bay reclamation, and Ahok’s non-budgetary allocations, showed he was not in line with the party’s ideology.
The PDI-P often calls itself as the “little people’s party.” (evi)
