Ridwan Kamil Rejected By Residents In Jatinegara, Rido Spokesperson: Maybe You Haven't Met A Personal One

The candidate pair for governor and deputy governor Ridwan Kamil-Suswono (Rido) arrived at the Jakarta Regional KPU (KPU) Office, Wednesday, August 28. (Diah-VOI)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the candidate pair for Governor-Deputy Governor of Jakarta Ridwan Kamil (RK)-Suswono (RIDO), Muhammad Kholid responded to the rejection of a number of residents when RK visited Jatinegara, East Jakarta.

Kholid views that the rejection is only limited to the expression of some people who do not know a man with Kang Emil's nickname directly.

"So if I see it, maybe because I haven't met Emil personally, yes. If I meet directly personally with Kang Emil and Suswono, it will be easier and will accept it," said Kholid in his statement, Tuesday, September 10.

Kholid considers refusal to one of the candidates to be normal. According to him, in the current Pilkada contestation, a lot of dislikes also occur elsewhere, not only in Jakarta.

"So, I think this is a dynamic that is happening in society. An expression that comes from the community, we must respect. We are a democratic country. So we must respect that," he said.

On Friday, September 6, a group of people from the Betawi Rempug Forum (FBR) rejected the presence of RK when they visited the Bamus Betawi office in Jatinegara, East Jakarta.

They were not happy with the presence of RK who was not of Betawi descent. Bamus Betawi then tried to have a dialogue with the group. After arguing, residents who refused RK left.

RK's gathering activities with Bamus Betawi were continued. RK was greeted by marawis and pencak silat, then the former Governor of West Java responded with a rhyme.

The moment of rejection of a number of residents to Ridwan Kamil has happened twice in recent times. Prior to the incident in Jatinegara, on September 1, RK was cheered up while attending the Haul event at Mbah Priok Cemetery, North Jakarta.

This momentum was recorded in a video and went viral on social media. In the video, a number of residents cheer on RK and ask him to come down.

RK had previously responded to the incident at Mbah Priok's grave. He respects the attitude of a handful of residents who cheered him up. According to him, it is an expression of a political figure.

"That there are supporters of anyone, that's the beauty of democracy. There are expressions that use thumbs up, some shout, some make banners," said RK when met at Senen, Central Jakarta, Thursday, September 5.

RK admitted to accepting gracefully for the aspirations of the people who did not support him for now. Given, he had felt conditions like this when he participated in the regional elections as Mayor of Bandung and Governor of West Java.

However, RK emphasized that he came to the Haul Mbah Priok event on the basis of the organizer's invitation. In fact, he was asked to give a speech on the podium.

"So I was invited there by a caliph from Makom Mbah Priok, coincidentally there was a haul event. If I was refused, I wouldn't have a podium," he said.