Jakarta. An ex-ally of presidential candidate Anies Baswedan has leveled accusations of cronyism against him during his tenure as the governor of Jakarta.

Anggawira, who served as a spokesperson for Anies during the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, claimed Saturday that after Anies assumed office, he appointed his acquaintances to key positions in municipally-owned companies, including the railway company LRT Jakarta and construction firm Jakpro.

Furthermore, Anggawira alleged that Anies exclusively selected his friends and former campaign members to fill the entire advisory team for provincial development, known locally as TGUPP.

Anggawira's statements aimed to counter Anies’ recent accusations of pervasive cronyism throughout the country.

Addressing the issue during the inaugural presidential debate on Tuesday, Anies said, “We are facing the phenomenon of insiders across Indonesia. We need [the help] of an insider to join a football team, to become teachers, to apply for school entries, and even to get tickets for a music concert.”

Anggawira, now part of the campaign team of rival presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, contended that Anies' past policies contradicted his present rhetoric.

"When Anies served as governor, he appointed his close allies to pivotal positions such as commissioners at LRT Jakarta and Jakpro. Additionally, the entirety of TGUPP consisted of his allies," Anggawira said.

Anggawira also claimed that Anies appointed cronies to serve as commissioners at Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, the operator of the renowned coastal resort Ancol Amusement Park in North Jakarta.

Last month, Anggawira resigned from the position of chief commissioner at the state-owned steel company Krakatau Pipe Industries to focus on his role in Prabowo’s campaign.

The camp supporting presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo also criticized Anies for his "insider" remarks.

“When he was governor, Anies filled the advisory team TGUPP with his campaign members, paid using the provincial budget. Anies is adept at pointing fingers at others without acknowledging similar mistakes he made,” said veteran lawyer Ruhut Sitompul, a spokesperson for the Ganjar campaign.

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