Jakarta – Jakarta Police said there have been no reports of mass mobilization by Wednesday morning (19/04), the day when Jakartans are set to go to the ballot box to elect a new governor.
More than 60,000 police officers have been deployed to secure around 13,000 poling stations across the capital after several Muslim groups said they were planning an "Al-Maidah Picnic" in which groups of people will be sent to voting stations to monitor the election. Police have banned the mass gathering fearing it will intimidate Jakarta voters.
"As of this time [Wednesday morning], we've received no reports of mass mobilization," Jakarta Police spokesman Chief Comr. Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono said at Jakarta Police headquarters.The police have also sent officers to several vital objects in the capital, including the homes of the governor and deputy governor candidates, major houses of worship and a number of spots where clashes between supporters may occur, he added.
"We have officers on motorcycles to monitor one polling station to the next in each urban community [kelurahan]. We also have officers in police cars patrolling the subdistricts [kecamatan]," Argo said.
Incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is facing off against former education minister Anies Baswedan in the runoff election after neither of them managed to win more than 50 percent of the votes in the first round election on Feb. 15.