Jakarta. Gubernatorial candidate Pramono Anung on Tuesday called for peaceful and honest election in Jakarta because the city remains a barometer of the rest of the country.

“From Jakarta, we need to set an example about democracy to our country,” Pramono said after joining his rivals Ridwan Kamil and Dharma Pongrekun to declare fair and respectful rivalries for the November 27 gubernatorial election.

During the event at the Old City area in West Jakarta, the three candidates and their running mates vowed to maintain fair and honest election; avoid vote buying, racial sentiments, and misinformation; and comply with existing regulations.

In addition to the joint declaration, Pramono said he and his ticket mate Rano Karno are also committed to bringing joy to the upcoming election aside from the tension and heated rivalries that come with power struggle.

The candidate pair has hired comedian Cak Lontong as their campaign manager.

Pramono, who last week resigned as the cabinet secretary to focus on his gubernatorial bid, is trailing behind former West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil by about 20 points, according to the latest survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI).

Independent candidate Dharma Pongrekun was favored by fewer than 5 percent of respondents, according to the survey.

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