Ahok Denies There Is Intense Communication, Anies: It's OK

Former Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan greeted residents at CFD Sudirman, Sunday, August 4, 2024 (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Anies Baswedan responded to Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok)'s rebuttal regarding the two of them establishing intense communication through WhatsApp messages. Anies admitted that there was no problem if Ahok did not communicate with him often.

"Yes, that's okay," said Anies in the car free day (CFD) Sudirman-Thamrin area, Central Jakarta, Sunday, August 4.

Anies also did not care about the opportunity for the PDI-P to carry him in the Jakarta gubernatorial election, which was very small. Ahok emphasized this, which assessed that it was difficult for his party to move closer to the coalition carrying Anies.

"Now we are concentrating on Jakarta residents," said the former Governor of DKI Jakarta for the 2017-2022 period.

Previously, Anies admitted that currently he often communicated with Ahok through the WhatsApp messaging platform. "I Mr. Ahok continues to communicate, we like WA," said Anies on July 29.

However, Anies emphasized that there was no discussion regarding politics between him and Ahok ahead of the registration of the candidate pair for regional head in the 2024 Pilkada. Anies admitted that there was no particular interest in the casual conversation between him and Ahok, who was both the former Governor of DKI Jakarta.

"Talking as friends, as residents. It's a normal thing, friends also communicate with anyone," said Anies.

However, Ahok felt that he had never had intense communication with Anies. Ahok admitted that he had exchanged phone numbers with Anies when he met at a wedding.

"Meet Mr. Anies, take photos, then let's take pictures. Mr. Anies asked, 'Which phone number is it?' Then I gave him the number to Mr. Anies. He noted. When I came home, I received WA, 'test, Anies'. Yes, I continued to say, 'yes thank you sir, thank you, sir, for the number. 'If we have time to gather here'. 'Yes sir, ready', that's all," said Ahok on Saturday, August 3.

"Until today there is no WA. But if Mr. Anies actually almost never contacts me, actually, I also don't know, I don't think he intends to say that I often meet him," he continued.