House of Representatives deputy speaker Agus Hermanto has expressed confidence that the anticipated large-scale demonstration on Friday in Jakarta will not compromise the safety of the legislative institution’s compound
ouse of Representatives deputy speaker Agus Hermanto has expressed confidence that the anticipated large-scale demonstration on Friday in Jakarta will not compromise the safety of the legislative institution’s compound.
“I am certain that tomorrow’s [Friday] rally will be much more peaceful than the previous one. I hope they [protesters] achieve their goal so that there will be no more rallies,” the Democratic Party politician told reporters on Thursday.
Agus also played down concerns that Friday’s rally, held to demand Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s arrest, would escalate into something bigger like an attempt to occupy the House, mirroring a failed attempt by participants of a previous anti-Ahok rally on Nov. 4.
The calls for protesters to occupy the House were reportedly made by former lawmakers Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, sister of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Other lawmakers have also discredited such a threat.
“There is no need to respond to such calls. We know who these people are,” Gerindra Party lawmaker Wenny Warouw said.
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