"The Prabowo-Hatta pair did not get involved in the Babinsa case. It is a slander, but I do not know where it came from. What is obvious is that the slander is not from us," Hashim said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa pairs camp had nothing to do with the Indonesian militarys village non-commissioned officer (Babinsa) who reportedly intimidated a local in Central Jakarta to vote for the duo, stated a politician.

"The Prabowo-Hatta pair did not get involved in the Babinsa case. It is a slander, but I do not know where it came from. What is obvious is that the slander is not from us," Great Indonesia Movement Partys (Gerindra) Deputy Chief Patrol, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, noted here on Friday.

The Prabowo-Hatta camp supports the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) to probe the case, so that there will be no more slanderous statements directed towards the pair, Hashim added.

The Babinsa case has grabbed the spotlight following local media reports that a man claiming to be a Babinsa officer had allegedly forced a resident of a Chinese Christian neighborhood in Central Jakarta on Tuesday to vote for Prabowo.

Spokesman of the Prabowo-Hatta pair, Major General (ret) Sudrajat earlier remarked that retired military officers who join this duos campaign team have no rights to order soldiers to do something. "So, please dont use this case as a black campaign," he said.

President Yudhoyono had recently asked the TNI and the police force to maintain their neutrality in politics before the July 9 presidential election. Indonesian Military Chief General Moeldoko supports the presidents call, saying that neutrality should be implemented.

"The TNIs neutrality is not a subject to be discussed, but to be implemented," he recently emphasized.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has announced that Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla are the presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs, who will compete in the presidential election.

During the election number draw at the KPU headquarters on Sunday, the Prabowo-Hatta pair got number 1 on the ballot papers, while their opponents received number 2 for the presidential election.

The Prabowo-Hatta pair is supported by the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), and the Crescent and Star Party (PBB).

The Jokowi-Kalla pair is supported by five political parties: the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Peoples Conscience Party (Hanura), and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI).(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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