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JAKARTA, May 17 (APD) – Indonesian leaders initiated steps in a bid to end social friction and tension among the society following the imprisonment of Christian ex-Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama under blasphemy charges.
The imprisonment against Basuki has somewhat pitted Islam and Christian followers in two feuding parties with religious-sentiment events have occurred in several regions in the last few days.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo
To respond the concerning developed situation, Indonesian President Joko Widodo gathered the religious leaders to calm down the situation that may potentially lead to clash between followers of the nation’s two religions, risking the unity of the country.
Besides that, the president also issued order for the police and military to take firm measures against any form of unlawful moves aiming to hamper the nation’s unity, religious harmony and violating the state’s principals of Pancasila and constitution.
“From now on, I urge all of those frictions be stopped. Don’t curse and insult each other because we are all brothers. Don’t stage demonstration against each other, it would only waste our time. Don’t waste our energy for non-productive things,” he said after the meeting with the religious leaders in the presidential palace on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the president has the commitment pledged by religious leaders to preserve the religious harmony in the country.
Even though Indonesia adheres to democracy that endorses free of expression, the president reminded people to still abide by the law.
Religious sentiment-stirred events had occurred in Kalimantan and Sulawesi cities of Manado, Pontianak and Makassar over the weekend related to the ruling against Basuki issued on Tuesday last week.
People in Christian-predominantly Manado city in North Sulawesi province expelled the House deputy speaker Fahri Hamzah, whom they regarded of supporting Muslim radical group of FPI that strongly opposes Basuki.
Another similar event also occurred in Pontianak, West Kalimantan province. A number of FPI senior figures were forced to leave the city’s airport and return to Jakarta by locals.
Elsewhere in Makassar, South Sulawesi province, FPI members made attempts to disperse a candle light vigil event carried out by Basuki supporters, who are associated as Christian followers.
Previously on Monday, Vice President Jusuf Kalla called on the public to accept the ruling issued by the court against Basuki.
“All people must accept the decision because there is no better way to settle the problem except through legal proceedings,” he said here.
Even though the prosecutor only demanded one year with two years of probation period, the judge sentenced him with two years of imprisonment, saying that Basuki was convincingly conducting the blasphemy.
Radical Muslim groups staged waves of demonstrations to demand imprisonment against Basuki over his blasphemous statement.
The outspoken Basuki made the blasphemous statement against a verse in the Koran in September last year. He had asked for an apology from those irritated by his statement.
Basuki was stripped from his post as the governor of the capital city and slammed behind bar shortly after the trial was over.
During his brief service period around two years, Basuki who replaced then-governor Joko Widodo has done much in developing the Indonesian capital, particularly in transportation, infrastructure, housing, social health insurance and flood canals.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
