usician-cum-politician Ahmad Dhani has canceled a plan to join a mass gathering in Central Jakarta on Friday aimed at pushing for the arrest of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in a blasphemy case.
Dhani, who has been under police investigation for allegedly insulting President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo when he took part in the massive anti-Ahok rally on Nov. 4, said he would instead join a group of activists on Friday to meet People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) leaders to call for the reinstatement of the original version of the Constitution, without amendments made from 1999 to 2002, which the activists see as problematic.
“However, I still maintain my support [for the Monas rally],” he said, as quoted by tribunnews.com on Thursday evening.
(Read also: Police begins investigation into defamation of Jokowi)
Previously, Dhani, a founding member of now-defunct rock band Dewa 19, was reported by supporters of Jokowi for allegedly insulting the President. At his speech during the mass rally, Dhani had criticized Jokowi for not respecting ulemas by refusing to meet them during the rally.
In part of his speech, Dhani, who is running as deputy candidate for the regency election in the West Java city of Bekasi, made references to animals when speaking about the President, which was considered an insult by Jokowi supporters. (hwa)
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