Jokowi campaign post damaged in fire

JAKARTA.  A Joko “Jokowi” Widodo campaign post on Jl.Sultan Agung, South Jakarta was damaged by fire at 2:10 a.m. on Monday.

Reinhard Parapat, chairman of the New Indonesia Awakening (KIB), one of groups that support Jokowi’s presidential candidacy, said it was suspected that parties intentionally set fire to the post.

“We suspect that the incident was perpetrated by certain parties that don’t want to see the upcoming presidential election run smoothly,” he told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Monday.

Reinhard said the fire burned only the front part of the 96-square-meter stage house called “Pondok Komunikasi Rakyat” (People’s Communication House) thanks to local residents’ immediate response to extinguish the fire.

“A table, a cupboard, several baliho and data of 600 Jokowi’s volunteers were burned during the incident,” he said, adding that no one was injured in the fire.

Separately, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr.Comr.Rikwanto said the police were trying to determine the cause of the fire

“It remains unknown on whether it was intentionally burned. We are investigating the case,” he said. (alz/ebf)