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Ahok's tears increase support from Muslim voters: Pollster
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Family compassion: Non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama is consoled by his god sister Nana Riwayatie after the first hearing of his blasphemy trial. ( tribunnews.com/File)
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recent survey has found that support from Muslim voters for Jakarta gubernatorial election candidate pair Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Syaiful Hidayat increased in the last two months, suggesting many have forgiven Ahok for his controversial remarks about a Quranic verse that led to a blasphemy allegation being leveled at him.
Indikator Politik Indonesia released Wednesday the survey showing that the Ahok-Djarot ticket enjoyed wider support from Muslim voters in January, with 31.9 percent of Muslim respondents, a 13.3 percent surge from November, saying they would vote for him in the gubernatorial election slated for Feb. 15.
The other candidate pairs, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni and Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno, garnered 27.4 percent and 27 percent of support Muslim respondents, respectively. Another 13.7 percent of Muslim respondents were not willing to reveal their choice.
"This could be triggered by the events at Ahok's first blasphemy hearing, during which he cried [when he read out his refutation]," Indikator Politik Indonesia executive director Burhanuddin Muhtadi told a press briefing in Cikini, Central Jakarta.
The figure partly contributed to rising support for Ahok during the last two months, with 38.2 percent of respondents declaring the incumbent as their number one choice. It is a significant rise from November, when support for him was gauged at 26.2 percent.
The Agus-Sylviana ticket, which topped Indikator's survey in November, has dropped to third place with 23.6 percent, while Anies-Sandiaga garnered 23.8 percent. Some 14.5 percent of poll respondents did not disclose their vote preference. (evi)
