Jakarta – The legal team of gubernatorial candidate Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama reported his rival in the upcoming election runoff, Anies Baswedan, to the Jakarta Police for alleged defamation on Wednesday.
Anies was reported for a remark he reportedly made during a campaign event that Ahok, if re-elected as the Jakarta governor, would evict the inhabitants of 300 different locations in the city.
"We have looked through [everything Ahok has said] and found no such statement," said legal team head Pantas Nainggolan on Wednesday, adding that Anies made the remark about two months ago, prior to the first round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election.
What Ahok actually said, according to Pantas, was that buildings that stood along waterways would be better regulated, as would street vendors and people with social and community problems (PMKS). "He [Anies] should not interpret Ahok's statements to mean eviction for certain purposes," he said.
The report was filed with the police on Wednesday. Should a police investigation uncover any incriminating evidence, Anies could be charged under articles 310 and 311 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on defamation. (dea)