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Just go to work and school as usual on Friday, Jokowi says
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on residents of Jakarta and its surrounding cities to go to work and school as usual on Friday, despite the massive demonstration against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama planned for that day.
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla prepare to attend a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on residents of Jakarta and its surrounding cities to go to work and school as usual on Friday, despite the massive demonstration against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama planned for that day.
“Those who work, go to work as usual and those who go to school, go to school as usual,” Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla told journalists at the veranda of the State Palace on Thursday.
The President’s statement was made amid fears of violence of the demonstration, which according to its organizers would involve some 200,000 people from Jakarta and its surrounding cities. Similar protests will also be organized in a number of cities across the country.
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian made a similar statement, saying that the police had been in dialogue with a number of groups that would be involved in the demonstration, who were demanding legal charges against Ahok for alleged blasphemy.
“Inshallah [God willing], the demonstration will be held in accordance with the law,” Tito said when interviewed on a TV talk show on Wednesday.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Corm. Awi Setiyono said 20,000 security officers would be deployed to secure the demonstration, while the military said among the soldiers that would be deployed, members from elite forces like the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) and Air Force Special Forces (Paskhas) would be included. (bbn)
