TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) deputy secretary-general, Danik Eka Rahmaningtiyas, said that a lot of her party’s works were inspired by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (BTP) or familiarly called Ahok.

“In Jakarta, PSI is striving to save the city's budget, ensuring that no public money is corrupted or wasted. As I recall, that’s what you [Ahok] fight for in Jakarta. Isn’t it right, Pak?” said Danik, mentioning Ahok in a video sent by the PSI’s sec-gen Raja Juli Antoni to Tempo on Wednesday, February 19. Tempo has obtained the permit to quote the video footage.

The video was created in response to the criticism voiced by the former governor of Jakarta directed at PSI. During the launching of his second book titled “Panggil Saya BTP” on Monday, February 17, in the Ngobrol Tempo event, Ahok said that PSI is a small party.

“[We] thank for Pak Ahok’s criticism. Bapak said that PSI is a ‘new party’ that ‘talks big’ and is not necessarily passed the test yet [when enters the legislative]. That is right though, we are still a new, small party and inshallah, we will fight with what we have,” Danik said, recalling Ahok’s criticism.

According to Danik, who was former campaigner of Ahok-Djarot in the Jakarta gubernatorial election in 2017, PSI has now started to ‘lessen’ the talking and is focusing to maintain the people’s mandate as many of the party’s millennial cadres have clinched seats in the provincial, city, and regency legislative council.

“We will always pray for you (Ahok) and implement the values you’re fighting for wherever we stand,” Danik concluded.

DEWI NURITA