KPU Chairman Hasyim Asy'ari About The Ultah Cake From PSI Candidates: I Prepared It Myself

JAKARTA - Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari explained that the video containing him being given a birthday cake (ultah) from a candidate for PSI legislative member was actually prepared by himself.

"Oh, that's the cake that prepared me myself," said Hasyim as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 19.

According to him, the PSI candidate only participated in recording videos and food. Not only that, he emphasized that all witnesses present at the plenary meeting to recapitulate the vote count for the 2024 General Election at the national level also celebrated his birthday.

Hasyim stated that there was no cake from PSI, because it was him who served and served on the sidelines of the plenary meeting which coincided with his birthday. Hasyim also asked the media crew to ask directly to the person who had recorded the video.

"There is no PSI giving cakes, nothing. Cake from myself and I present it at the plenary arena," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said any receipt by state officials from parties that could potentially cause a conflict of interest was a gratuity that was mandatory to be reported to anti-corruption agencies.

This was conveyed by the Head of the KPK News Section Ali Fikri when confirmed by reporters about the news that KPU Chairman Hasyim Asy'ari received a birthday cake from PSI candidates.

"Every receipt of gratuities that he can think of is likely that the granter of this gratuity in the future will be related to his position. In connection with his authority, the fall of gratuities must be reported to the KPK. So that Article 12C is dropped, cannot be convicted when it has been reported to the KPK," said Ali.

Ali also explained that one of the conflicts of interest that occurred was the KPU which was holding a recapitulation and PSI as one of the parties participating in the election.

"Yes, it's clear there is, what? One clear conflict of interest is very clear. Because the authority of the KPU is then this party is in line. One day there are interests that can face each other," he said.

Previously, it was crowded on social media that a cadre who is also a candidate from PSI Marsha Siagian who made content participate in the celebration of the birthday of the Chairman of the Indonesian KPU Hasyim Asy'ari.

In the video, Marsha shows that she is giving cakes to Hasyim Asy'ari. From the viral video, netizens think that it is a gratuity from PSI to the KPU Chair in the midst of a vote counting situation after the 2024 General Election.

The one-minute video shows a surprise birthday cake for Hasyim Asy'ari which is considered a direct gift from a party led by the youngest son of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) Kaesang Pangarep.