Ahok allowed to go on leave from Oct 28 to campaign
In this handout photograph released and taken by the presidential palace on February 18, 2015 , Indonesian President Joko Widodo (R) accompanied by Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (2L) attends an inspection of flood control project. - Filepic
The Governor of the Special Capital District of (DKI) Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or better known as Ahok was allowed to go on 'no pay leave' for almost four months beginning Oct 28.
The leave is to enable Ahok to focus on defending his post in the Election for District Head (Pilkada) to be held on Feb 15 2017.
On-line media quoted the Head of the Election Commission (KPU) for the Jakarta DKI province, Sumarno as saying that the Commission had received the leave approval for Ahok from the Home Ministry.
He said that the letter had stated that Ahok's leave would begin from Oct 28 to Feb 12, 2017.
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and his deputy, Djarot Saiful Hidayat would defend their respective posts and had received the support of the Parti PDI Perjuangan, Parti Golkar, Parti Hanura and Parti Nasdem.
They are being challenged by two other pairs namely Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni supported by the coalition of Parti Demokrat, Parti Kebangkitan Bangsa, Parti Persatuan Pembangunan and Parti Amanat Nasional while the pair of Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno are supported by Parti Gerindra and Parti Keadilan Sejahtera.
All the candidates for the election had passed the nomination process on Sept 23 and would be given their candidate serial number on Oct 24.
The KPU has fixed campaigning for almost four months from Oct 28 to Feb 11, 2017. - BERNAMA
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