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Kalla denies involvement in Anies’ candidacy
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Cast your vote: Vice President Jusuf Kalla, accompanied by National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, arrives at polling station TPS 3 Pulo in Kebayoran Baru to vote in the Feb. 15 Jakarta gubernatorial election. (Antara/Wahyu Putro A)
V
ice President Jusuf Kalla has denied allegations that he had anything to do with the nomination of Anies Baswedan as a Jakarta gubernatorial candidate in the recent election.
Kalla acknowledged, however, that he had communicated with Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto and discussed the election.
“I was abroad [when I communicated with Prabowo]. What’s wrong with having a conversation with a party leader for the good of the country?" the Vice President said after he launched the 2017 Indonesia Smart City Rating (RKCI) at the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta, on Thursday.
Kalla said communication could not be considered intervention. “When people talk to each other, does it always mean intervention? If I talk to you, is it intervention? What’s wrong with that? Everyone is my friend," he told journalists.
Kalla was responding to a recent statement by People’s Consultative Assembly Speaker Zulkifli Hasan. Zulkifli said Prabowo had not considered Anies as a gubernatorial candidate until after he talked with Kalla.
Kalla said everyone had a right to vote and be elected in a democracy. He said Anies’ nomination was a good decision as he was capable and had the ability to lead Jakarta.
“Anies is a very moderate person whose running mate is a businessman who has vast experience. He [Anies] was close to Jokowi [President Joko Widodo]. He was his spokesman for six months during his presidential campaign [in 2014]. No one was closer to Pak Jokowi than Anies during the campaign. No one," he said. (dis/ebf)
