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Election trail: Regions criticize Jakarta election

The Jakarta gubernatorial runoff election has left a bad taste in the mouths of people in regions outside Jakarta, many of whom have expressed concerns over the rising religious sectarianism generated by the election

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Thu, April 20, 2017

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Election trail: Regions criticize Jakarta election

T

he Jakarta gubernatorial runoff election has left a bad taste in the mouths of people in regions outside Jakarta, many of whom have expressed concerns over the rising religious sectarianism generated by the election.

Edho Sinaga, a resident of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, for instance, said people in the area were caught up in the election fever.

“I am fed up with all of this [election stuff]. People should think about their own regions. Why bother with Jakarta? Moreover, I believe the Jakarta election has destroyed our social fabric. There are even friends who no longer talk with each other because they have differing opinions,” he said on Wednesday.

Laili Khainur, an activist from Pontianak, said the election had had a bad influence on the country because people were bombarded with hate speech.

“This nation still has a problem with diversity and difference,” she said.

Meanwhile, people in Banyumas, Central Java, criticized politicians in Jakarta for using religious issues to win votes.

“Indonesia is a country based on Pancasila, not religion. Therefore, the issue of ethnicity and religion should not be used in elections. This is making a fool of our democracy,” said Muhammad Lukman, an activist with the Nahdlatul Ulama from Banyumas.

Ahmad Mudofir, a resident of Banyumas, also expressed his dismay.

“Honestly, I am worried about the future, seeing Jakarta these days. There are lots of provocative videos with figures in Jakarta voicing extremist messages. This is very harmful to Indonesia. Politics should have been conducted without using religion as a tool,” he said.

Mukmin, an entrepreneur from Kalibagor village in Banyumas, said the election in Jakarta was a test for Indonesia’s diversity.

“This is very dangerous and hopefully it does not fuel rage in Jakartans and Indonesians in general,” he said.

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