BTP Wants to Campaign for Jokowi - Ma'ruf Amin

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok- who now wishes to be known as BTP – said that he is willing to campaign for president and vice president candidates Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin in the upcoming presidential election.

This information was shared by Indonesian jazz artist Teuku “Tompi” Adifitrian who met the former governor in a brief meeting on Saturday, January 19, at the Police Mobile Brigade Detention Facility (Mako Brimob) in Depok.

“He even expressed his willingness to share a campaign stage with Pak Ma’ruf Amin,” said Tompi to Tempo on Wednesday, Jan. 23.

According to the singer, he was the one to first ask the question whether BTP is willing to endorse his support for the presidential candidates and felt that he owed Ma’ruf Amin, who is also the non-active Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Chairman.

“BTP holds no grudge against Ma’ruf Amin,” said Tompi.

Tompi recalled BTP expressing his gratitude to be able to control and claim self-defeat throughout his prison sentence.

“So, it is true in a sense that I am schooled here [in prison],” said Tompi who reiterated the words out of BTP’s mouth.

Ma’ruf Amin was the witness against BTP in the blasphemy trial held at the North Jakarta District Court. Acting as a key witness in court, Ma’ruf Amin asserted the charge made against BTP that confirmed the guilty verdict which led to BTP's jail sentence for two years.

According to his open letter dated January 17, 2019, the man that no longer wants to be identified as Ahok urged his followers to vote and not take the ‘Golput’ way in the upcoming election. Golput is a term for people who refuse to practice their right to vote.

DEWI NURITA | JOBPIE SUGIHARTO l KORAN TEMPO