TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama claimed that Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairperson Megawati Soekarno Putri would support him to run in the upcoming Jakarta Gubernatorial Election.

"The point is, Megawati preferred to support the incumbent," Ahok said at the City Hall on Wednesday, August 17, 2016.

Ahok said that PDIP would not announce a candidate to be endorsed yet, waiting for the decision to be made through the party’s mechanism. However, Ahok was convinced that he would not have to go through the fit and proper test to be held by the PDIP.

“For Mewawati, I don’t have to go through the fit and proper test, and I don’t have to register because I was registered as [PDI-P's candidate] in 2012. That’s what she said,” Ahok added.

The support was communicated by Megawati when Ahok visited the PDI-P's Central Executive Board in Central Jakarta. Attending the meeting were PDIP secretary general Hasto Kristianto and head of membership and organization Djarot Saiful Hidayat, who currently serves as Ahok’s deputy.

"I met Megawati earlier. I visited the [PDI-P] Central Executive Board office with Djarot. Megawati said that she wanted me to run with Djarot," Ahok revealed.

Earlier on Friday, August 12, 2016, the PDIP held a meeting at Megawati’s residence in Central Jakarta to discuss candidates to be promoted. PDIP secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto said that one of the possible scenarios was to support Ahok and Djarot for a reelection.

LARISSA HUDA