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Ahok prepared to take leave after finishing city budget bill deliberations
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Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri helps Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama put on a party jacket after he was declared the party's gubernatorial candidate on Sept. 20, pairing with Deputy Governor Djarot Syaiful Hidayat. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
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akarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama says he is prepared to take leave in January after City Council and the Jakarta administration finish deliberating the 2017 city budget bill.
Speaking on the sidelines of a court hearing at the Constitutional Court on Monday, he called on the court to revoke an article in the Regional Elections Law that requires incumbent candidates to take leave during the campaign period.
He expressed hope that the court would consider restoring articles in Law No. 8/2015 on regional elections that had been amended. One in particular allowed incumbent candidates to take leave according to their campaign schedule.
Ahok argued that with such a ruling, incumbents could still carry out their duties as regional leaders to lead their respective administrations on the sidelines of an election campaign.
Although Ahok is seeking revision of the law, he had to sign a letter declaring that he was prepared to take leave from Oct. 26 to Feb. 11, when he and running mate Djarot Saiful Hidayat registered as an election candidate pair on Sept. 21. (wnd/bbn)
