It’s difficult to imagine how difficult life must be for former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. Currently serving out a two-year sentence at a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) prison in Depok after being found guilty at the conclusion of his highly controversial blasphemy trial, Ahok is also contending with media scrutiny over his divorce proceedings against his wife, which he initiated earlier this month.
But Ahok still has a lot of things waiting for him when he is finally released from his imprisonment, like his other family, friends, a legion of loyal supporters and a brand new LED TV, courtesy of Bank Sumsel.
The Manggar branch of Bank Sumsel Babel in East Belitung (Ahok’s hometown) announced yesterday during a sweepstakes ceremony that Ahok happened to have been chosen as one of the winners.
As reported in a press release, Ahok got the third place prize of an LED television.
Ahok is apparently a long-time customer of Bank Sumsel and kept a savings account at his local branch even after he became vice governor of Jakarta.
“I thank you all for the support and trust of the community that chooses to be a customer here. We appreciate your contributions to the development of the economy in East Belitung,” East Belitung Regent Yuslih Ihza said at the prize drawing ceremony on Thursday as quoted by Tribun.
While Ahok didn’t quite win the sweepstakes grand prize of a Kijang Innova (which just happened to go to the woman in charge of East Belitung’s Department of Culture, hmm), hopefully this is a sign his luck is changing for the better. Despite his imprisonment, he still maintains a strong baseline of loyal supporters and there is some speculation he may even attempt a return to politics after his release. But if he doesn’t, at least he’s got the LED TV.
