TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Taufik removed from potential legislative candidate list
Change Size
Jakarta City Council Deputy Speaker Mohamad Taufik at the council building in Central Jakarta on Jan. 29. (kompas.com/Jessi Carina)
T
he Gerindra Party has removed the name of Jakarta city councillor Mohamad Taufik from its list of potential legislative candidates after being instructed to do so by Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) because Taufik has a graft record.
The KPU Jakarta commissioner Nurdin has confirmed that Taufik is not listed on the potential candidate list for the legislative election next year.
“His name has been excluded from the list. He failed to fulfill the requirements in the verification stage,” Nurdin said on Thursday as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.
As stipulated in KPU Regulation No. 20/2018, political parties may not include individuals who have been convicted of corruption, sex crimes involving minors or drug trafficking on their candidate lists.
If the KPU discovers such candidates running for election, it disqualifies them immediately and requires the relevant political parties to name replacements.
Therefore, the KPU Jakarta sent a letter to Gerindra to advise it to find a replacement for Taufik.
Taufik, who is currently City Council deputy speaker, was declared guilty of corruption in 2004 when he was head of the KPU Jakarta.
The court sentenced him to 18 months in prison for causing state losses of Rp 488 million (US$33,687) in a corruption case involving the procurement of election materials.
Taufik has filed an appeal for a judicial review with the Supreme Court to challenge the KPU regulation.
Meanwhile, Taufik has emerged as Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno’s potential successor, should the latter run as a vice presidential candidate next year. (cal)
