Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – The pro Jokowi students and youth alliance and a group proclaiming to be 'Ahokers', a known term to describe avid supporters of former Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama, officially declared their support for presidential and vice presidential candidates Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo-Ma'aruf Amin at the Ibis Hotel in Cikini, Central Jakarta today, August 21.
Jack Lapian from a pro-Ahok group, BTP Network, was also seen present in the event together with religious public figure Gus Sholeh Mz and other hardcore Ahok supporters. There were roughly 100 Ahok volunteers present in the declaration.
"We, students and youths, are determined and driven to support Jokowi-Ma'aruf in the 2019 presidential election," said one of the alliance's member in the declaration on Tuesday, August 21.
Serving as a symbol of support, PDIP politician Ruhut Sitompul placed an Indonesian traditional 'peci' on the head of Gus Sholeh.
Ruhut claims that votes from Ahokers will contribute significant votes for the pair of candidates in the upcoming election. "We can't deny that Ahok has many supporters, not just in Jakarta but from across Indonesia," he said.