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Jokowi calls on public to respect blasphemy investigation
President Joko "Jokowi Widodo has called on the public to respect an ongoing police investigation into Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama over blasphemy allegations, as he considers the process has run in a fair and transparent manner.
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Toning it down: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center), accompanied by State Secretary Pratikno (right) and Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir, talks to media at the Muslim organization’s office in Jakarta on Nov. 8. The President has consolidated support from numerous groups, including the military, the police and a number of Muslim groups, in an effort to maintain peace following a rally on Nov. 4 (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi Widodo has called on the public to respect an ongoing police investigation into Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama over blasphemy allegations, as he considers the process has run in a fair and transparent manner.
Jokowi, through presidential spokesman Johan Budi, said on Wednesday that "what has been done by the police has met the necessary principles of transparency, fairness and professionalism".
"The President asks all parties to respect the legal proceedings that have been completed and are currently underway," Johan said.
"[The President] welcomes the public to monitor the next [phase of the ongoing legal] process [as Ahok has now been named a suspect]."
(Read also: Ahok named suspect in blasphemy case)
On Nov. 4, over 100,000 people, mostly from Muslim organizations, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), swarmed onto Jakarta's streets to demand that the police prosecute Ahok in response to comments about a verse of the Quran during a visit to Thousand Islands regency in late September.
The peaceful rally, however, turned violent later in the evening with a confrontation in front of the State Palace.
Prior to the rally, a number of Muslim figures accused the President and law enforcers of protecting the governor. Ahok, who previously served as deputy Jakarta governor, replaced Jokowi after the latter won the presidential election in 2014.
The same Muslim groups are reportedly organizing another rally on Nov. 25 in case the police drop the case against Ahok.
Johan refused to comment on the possibility that the planned rally would go ahead despite the police having named Ahok a suspect.
Earlier on Wednesday, during a visit to the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) headquarters in Cilodong, on the outskirts of Jakarta, President Jokowi shared his confidence that “there will be no more demonstrations” in regards to the blasphemy case.
The President has consolidated support from numerous groups in the country, including the military, the police and a number of Muslim groups, in an effort to maintain peace following the rally on Nov. 4. (hwa)
