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Sectarian sentiment unlikely to ruin Ahok’s popularity: Expert
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Religious fervor– Thousands of people stage a rally in Jakarta on Friday against non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama over remarks they call blasphemy. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
T
he massive rally against non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama over alleged blasphemy has increased sectarian sentiment, but will not significantly diminish Ahok’s odds in Jakarta’s upcoming election, according to an expert.
Sirajuddin Abbas, program director of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), said given that the majority of Jakartans were rational voters who based their voting decisions on a candidate’s performance rather than on religious or ethnic affiliations, sectarian sentiment was unlikely to have a significant impact on Ahok’s popularity rating.
“In general, voters in Jakarta are moderates. Their decisions are not affected by [the view that] the majority should be led by [a member of] the majority,” Sirajuddin told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
(Read also: Ahok in striking distance, survey says)
Although SMRC had not released any survey to gauge the acceptability of each candidate after the rally in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Friday, which turned violent and saw two police cars set on fire, Sirajuddin said the last survey should still be accurate.
SMRC’s survey released at the end of last month showed that the majority of the respondents, 26.4 percent of 684 people surveyed, would choose a candidate based on his or her positive performance, while only 3.6 percent would vote a candidate who had the same religion as they did. (jun)
