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Ahok perceived least likely to benefit pluralism: Survey
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Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama talks to his legal counselor during a hearing presided over by judges of the North Jakarta District Court at the Agriculture Ministry's auditorium in South Jakarta on Jan. 24. (Antara/POOL/Muhammad Adimaja/via JP)
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akarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama is considered the least likely among the three Jakarta gubernatorial candidates to benefit pluralism in the capital after being implicated in a blasphemy case, a new survey revealed on Tuesday.
The Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) showed in its survey that, among the three pairs of candidates, Ahok ranked the lowest in terms of voter trust with regard to preserving pluralism in Jakarta, which is often perceived as the champion of the nation’s diversity.
Of the 880 survey respondents, only 15.2 percent said Ahok could maintain pluralism in Jakarta. Meanwhile, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono ranked first and Anies Baswedan second with 30.5 and 24.5 percent, respectively.
“Whereas, 96.1 percent of respondents consider maintaining pluralism in Jakarta as important,” LSI researcher Adrian Sopa said during the release of the survey, which was held from Jan. 5 to 11.
(Read also: Agus promises to defend pluralism in Jakarta)
Adrian said the blasphemy case implicating Ahok had affected voters’ trust in the governor to maintain pluralism in the city.
“Ahok, who is now a defendant [in a blasphemy case] is seen as part of part of the problem rather than solution,” Adrian said.
Ahok ranked the lowest because he was considered to have the least empathy toward the religions followed by the people, Adrian said. Meanwhile, Agus had the highest ranking because he was considered to represent the moderate and nationalist-religious camp of voters.
Anies, who ranked second in the survey, was considered as committed as Agus with regard to religion, but his ranking was affected by a smear campaign that claimed he was a Shiite and portrayed him as a liberal Muslim. (evi)
