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Wiranto receives anti-Ahok rally representatives
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A security officer is seen near a water cannon parked at City Hall on Friday, prior to the rally held to demand the dismissal of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. (Warta Kota/Mohamad Yusuf)
C
oordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto received nine representatives of the rally held to demand Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama be dismissed on Friday.
Rally coordinator Usamah Hisyam, who is also the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP)-affiliated Indonesian Muslims Association (Parmusi), and National Mandate Party (PAN) patron Amien Rais were among the nine who came to the minister's office at 2 p.m.
Speaking after a one-hour closed-door meeting with the representatives, Wiranto said he had been instructed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to receive them so that the government could listen to their demands.
Responding to the demand made by the protesters to have Ahok dismissed due to the governor's status as a defendant in a blasphemy case, Wiranto reiterated that the government could not interfere with the ongoing legal process.
"Don't suspect that the government is taking sides with the person currently standing trial [...] We are not defending the governor, but we want the legal basis to be clear," Wiranto told journalists on Friday.
Even though Jokowi could not fulfill the protesters' demand to meet the President himself, Wiranto assured the representatives that he would deliver the result of the meeting to Jokowi directly. Now that the protesters had met with a government official, Wiranto said he expected the rally to finish at 6 p.m. in accordance with the law.
The Friday rally, dubbed "Aksi 313” in reference to the date, is a follow up of previous protests held to demand the removal of Ahok, such as “Aksi 411” on Nov. 4 and “Aksi 212” on Dec. 2 last year.
