Election Supervisory Committee Foils Staple Foods Distribution

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - East Jakarta Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) head Sakhroji said that his team on Sunday evening, April 16, 2017, found volunteers with staple food packages allegedly to be distributed to Jakarta residents during the quiet period of the Jakarta Gubernatorial Election campaign.

"There were plaid shirts," Sakhroji told Tempo on Monday, April 17, 2017.

The plaid shirt is often associated with Jakarta Gubernatorial hopefuls Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok and Djarot Saiful Hidayat. However, Sakhroji said that he would avoid making any accusations.

Panwaslu, Sakhroji revealed, is still questioning volunteers carrying the packages.

"We can't confirm [that they are supporters of Ahok-Djarot], because they might not be campaign team of candidate number two," Sakhroji explained.

Sakhroji added that his team found the staple food packages in two different areas. The first ones were found at around 9:45 PM Western Ind onesia Time in Ciracas. Panwaslu seized six sacks containing staple food packages ready to be distributed.

"The sacks contain rice, sugar, vegetable oil, and instant noodles," Sakhroji revealed.

As many as 169 sacks containing 845 packages were found at 23:30 in Cakung.

"The staple food packages were stored at the Cakung Police Station," Sakhroji added.

Sakhroji revealed that Panswaslu also received information related to staple food distributions at Duren Sawit. However, when his team arrived at the scene, the report was not proven.

Ahok-Djarot campaign team spokesperson denied that the team had committed a violation by distributing staple foods to voters.

"The Ahok-Djarot campaign team did not initiate staple food distribution program," Sakhroji said. "Ahok asserted that he doesn't want to have anything to do with staple foods distribution. This is a principle that he has been upholding since [he ran in an election] in Belitung."D

DESTRIANITA