President Joko Widodo’s current right-hand man, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, had some kind words for Jokowi’s former right hand man, Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. During a speech this morning, the VP said Ahok could become a legendary figure in Jakarta, but only if he changes something about himself.
“Yesterday I said to Ahok, you can become a legend of the city just like Ali Sadikin (Jakarta’s Governor during the mid ‘70s) but you must work properly, not rudely. You may be loud and firm, but do not be rude. Then you will become a legend,” Kalla said while speaking at the launch ceremony of the Indonesia Smart Cities Index 2015, as quoted by MetroTV.
While Ahok is famous for his fiery temper, the Vice President might have been referring to the incident from last week in which Ahok said “shit” several times on live TV.
Kalla said that everybody was capable of becoming a legend if they could be a force for good and provide strong leadership.
Jusuf said Sadikin, who is considered by many to have modernized Jakarta (and also happens to be one of Ahok’s idols), was such a figure. He also said Syahrul Ujud, the mayor of Padang in the 1970s, was a legend for cleaning up his city.
Well personally we already think Ahok is legendary because of the crazy badass quotes that come out of his mouth, but if he keeps up the good fight against the City Council and other forces of corruption he may become Jakarta’s most legendary governor ever.
