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No more rallies against Ahok: Jokowi
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Show of strength: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center) raises a clenched fist along with (from left to right) Army chief of staff Gen. Mulyono, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, Army Special Forces (Kopassus) chief Maj. Gen. Madsuni and State Secretary Pratikno during a visit to the Kopassus headquarters in Cijantung, Jakarta, on Thursday. Jokowi has said he hopes to see no more rallies against inactive Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. (Presidential Office/Rusman)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says he expects to see no more rallies over inactive Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s alleged blasphemy.
“We hope there are no more demonstrations. They are a waste of energy,” Jokowi said in front of a meeting of Muslim scholars from the National Awakening Party in Ancol, North Jakarta, on Saturday as reported by tribunnews.com.
(Read also: Rally erupts in violence)
Jokowi reiterated that he was not taking Ahok’s side, but only wished to let law enforcement bodies handle the case.
“Since the beginning I have said that I would not intervene in any legal issues. Let the law enforcement personnel handle it,” the president said.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims staged a demonstration in front of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Nov. 4, demanding that the government jail Ahok for blasphemy. The rally ended in violence with two cars set on fire.
Ahok has repeatedly apologized and said he never intended to insult Islam and the Quran during a speech he gave in the Thousand Islands regency. The accusations began after an edited video of his speech there went viral last month. (jun)
