GP Ansor is solid behind Jokowi and his running mate Jusuf Kalla (JK)."
Semarang, Central Java (ANTARA News) - The Central Java provincial chapter of Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) of Nahdatul Ulama, the countrys largest non political Islamic organization, said it threw its weight behind Joko Widodo (Jokowi), one of two candidates to contest the presidential election on July 9.

"GP Ansor is solid behind Jokowi and his running mate Jusuf Kalla (JK)," Jabir Alfaruqi, who is chairman of the campaigning team for Jokowi-JK from GP Ansor in Central Java.

The decision was made at a meeting at the Central Java office of Nahdatul Ulama attended by leaders of 25 of 35 GP Ansor branches in the province, Jabir said here on Monday.

The pair of Jokowi and JK are candidates of the Indonesian Democractic Party of Struggle (PDIP) with support from three other parties - Nasional Demokrat (Nasdem), Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB) and Hati Nurani Rakyat (Hanura) to contest the presidential election on July 9.

"It was a decision of the organization, therefore, all leaders and cadres of GP Ansor are bound to comply with it," Jabir said.

He said GP Ansor of Central Java gave its support for the pair of Jokowi-JK as JK (Muhammad Jusuf Kalla) is a member of NU . The majority of NU scholars , NU leaders and nahdliyin (NU adherents) support the presidential and vice presidential candidates.

"Indeed , there are some NU scholars and leaders that give their support for rival candidates but they are not many," the former chairman of GP Ansor in Central Java, said.

In addition, Jokowi has an excellent track record when he was mayor of the central Java city of Solo and when later he was elected governor of Jakarta , he said.

Jokowi is popular and is know a clean and hard working leader, he added.

He said he would soon started consolidation with parties in the coalition supporting the pair of Jokowi-JK to win the presidential election.

"All leaders and cadres of GP Ansor in Central Java will start campaigning for the Jokowi-JK pair in all areas in the province," he added.
(Uu.H-ASG/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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