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Jokowi pressed to reveal ‘political actors’ behind anti-Ahok rally
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More than 100,000 people stage a mass rally against non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who was accused of insulting the Quran. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been urged to reveal the “political actors” he accused of sponsoring Friday’s mass rally against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, which involved more than 100,000 people.
If the President failed to reveal those people, he was only creating a scapegoat, said Desmond Junaidi Mahesa, a lawmaker from the Gerindra Party.
“Jokowi must explain who the political actors are. Was he referring to figures like Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq? Or someone else? He must clarify, otherwise his statement is slanderous,” Desmond told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Jokowi made his statement about “political actors” being behind the rally shortly after midnight on Saturday, soon after the situation had calmed down following violence in which protesters threw stones and other objects at police officers, who responded by shooting tear gas.
Democratic Party spokesman Didi Irawadi Syamsuddin said “Jokowi’s vague statement had sparked public speculation. Didi urged Jokowi to clarify his statement in order to avoid suspicion among the people.
Meanwhile, Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, a political analyst from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), defended the President, saying that it was the job of the police and other law enforcers to follow up. “Let law enforcers do their job to find the actors behind the rally,” he said. (bbn)
