JAKARTA. Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama filed a judicial review with the Constitutional Court on Tuesday over a General Elections Commission (KPU) regulation stipulating that an incumbent gubernatorial candidate must take leave during a campaign period.

Ahok argued that he would not be able to take leave during the campaign period because he had to prepare the draft 2017 city budget.

Ahok seeks clarification over Article 70, Paragraph 2 of Law No. 10/2016 on regional elections, which states that an incumbent must take leave during a campaign period.

 “If I don’t want to take a leave, why should I be forced to do so,” he said at City Hall on Tuesday, adding that deliberation of the draft city budget would be necessary during the campaign period, therefore he would rather concentrate on the draft city budget rather than campaign.

"If I take leave to campaign, who will take care of the budgeting? It would be dangerous because the budget involves some Rp 70 trillion [US$5.35 billion],” Ahok said.

Ahok said he could not delegate the deliberation of the draft budget to his subordinates.

According to the KPU regulation, the campaign period is from Oct. 26 to Feb. 11. (Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie