“I want to nominate myself as a DPD member candidate from Jakarta in the 2019 general election. Because of that, I wish to resign from my post of KPU Jakarta head,” Sumarno stated in his resignation letter dated April 20.

Sumarno confirmed that the letter was authentic, and he intended to lodge it with the KPU Jakarta on Thursday.

“Yes, that is true. Today, I will send my resignation letter to KPU Jakarta,” Sumarno said on Thursday as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Sumarno said he hoped the process would run smoothly.

He presided over the divisive 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, which brought Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno to the governor and deputy governor seats.

Sumarno was accused of not being neutral. The Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) decided that Sumarno had violated the code of conduct following accusations by supporters of former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in April last year.

Prior to the Jakarta election, Sumarno held a meeting with firebrand cleric and Muslim People’s Forum (FUI) secretary-general Muhammad Al Khaththath, one of the initiators of street rallies against then-incumbent governor Ahok, at the KPU Jakarta office in March last year.

Previously, the media reported that he met with Anies at a polling station in Kalibata, South Jakarta, in February last year.  (ami)

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