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Anies brushes off allegations of graft related to Frankfurt Book Fair
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Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Anies Baswedan (right) and his running mate, Sandiaga Uno (left), sing together with the self-styled king of dangdut, Rhoma Irama, who also heads his own political party, the Peaceful and Benign Islam (Idaman) Party, at a campaign event in Cibubur, Jakarta, on Feb. 2. (Antara/M.Agung Rajasa)
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akarta gubernatorial candidate Anies Baswedan has denied any involvement in alleged graft related to Indonesia's participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair two years ago, when he served as education minister.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) received a report from anticorruption activist Andar Mangatas Situmorang last week alleging embezzlement in the funds disbursed for the project, which were supervised by the Education and Culture Ministry. The Gerindra Party candidate served as education minister from 2014 until his dismissal in a Cabinet reshuffle last year.
Anies, who is competing with incumbent Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in the Jakarta election runoff to be held on April 19, said on Saturday that the report was "a political joke" during the election campaign.
“It’s funny; [the report] was filed just before the second round [of the Jakarta gubernatorial election],” said Anies during his campaign visit in Cikini, Central Jakarta, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
(Read also: Elections to define democracy’s new course)
He added that Andar should further elaborate on the corruption accusation leveled against him, but vowed to respect the antigraft body’s investigation to follow up the report.
KPK spokesperson Febri Diansyah on Friday confirmed that the antigraft agency had received the report. "We will analyze the report to look for indications of corruption […] just like with all reports the KPK receives.” (mrc/wit)
