Circulating WA Message About Cawalkot Eri Cahyadi's Timses From ASN, Surabaya City Government Says Hoaks

Candidates for the mayor-vice mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi-Armuji (DOK. Istimewa)

SURABAYA - Circulating chain messages via WhatsApp regarding the success team of the Surabaya Mayor-Deputy Mayor Eri Cahyadi-Armuji from the ASN. The municipal government insists the chain message is a hoax.

"The point is that the names of the municipal government ASN who are said to be the success team of one of the candidates in the Surabaya Pilkada circulating on WhatsApp are hoaxes or not true," said Head of Public Relations of the Surabaya City Government, Febriadhitya Prajatara, quoted from Antara, Sunday, October 11.

He said the information circulating in the WhatsApp conversation application was allegedly deliberately made by irresponsible people. According to Febri, ASN must be neutral and should not be involved in practical politics in Pilkada contestation.

This is stated in Law Number 5 of 2014 concerning State Civil Servants, Government Regulation Number 42 of 2004 concerning Corps Spirit Development and Civil Servant Code of Ethics, and Government Regulation Number 53 of 2010 concerning Civil Servant Discipline.

"The regulation on ASN neutrality is very clear and firm and detailed. Every ASN is prohibited from providing support or carrying out activities that lead to practical politics in the Pilkada, Pileg, and Presidential Election contestation," he said.

Previously, the leadership of the Surabaya City DPRD highlighted the circulation of chain messages about ASN to be the Eri Cahyadi-Armuji timses in the Surabaya Pilkada.

"If it is true, this is a public scandal in democracy which should be honest, fair, transparent, democratic and dignified," said Deputy Chairman of the Surabaya DPRD, AH Thony.

The Gerindra politician asked Commission A to immediately invite all the names listed, not forgetting to also present the inspectorate. For him, this needs to be done to find out and clarify the truth of the news circulating as well as in an effort to prevent polemics in the 2020 Surabaya Pilkada.

However, if the truth is not proven, Thony asks for the signing of the integrity pact to echelon officials at all levels of the Surabaya City Government.

In addition, Thony also asked the Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini, to be able to provide guidance to his staff regarding efforts to maintain the spirit of neutrality of ASN in creating a dignified democracy.