As Indonesia Votes, Jakarta Governor Battles Blasphemy Charge
15, 2017
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Tens of millions of Indonesians went to the polls Wednesday to elect provincial and local leaders,
but all eyes were on the capital, Jakarta, whose Christian governor is fighting for his political life in what is widely seen as a test of religious and ethnic tolerance in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.
Both of Mr. Basuki’s opponents are Muslim and Javanese: Anies Baswedan, a former minister of higher education, who polls indicate is in second place after a late surge,
and Agus Yudhoyono, a former Army officer and son of a former president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Mr. Basuki, widely known by his nickname Ahok, is only the second non-Muslim governor of Jakarta,
and if he wins, he will be the first non-Muslim to be directly elected to the post.
She said that Mr. Basuki did a good job in office but added, "He doesn’t have the right to speak about the Quran."
Still, the governor has no lack of support among Muslims, who make up the majority of voters in Jakarta.
The governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who is ethnic Chinese, is leading in the polls
but has been hobbled by a criminal trial on a charge of blasphemy against Islam, in connection with remarks about a Quran verse that he made last year.
Two other candidates, also nationally known figures, are running for governor of Jakarta,
and many analysts and pollsters expect a second-round runoff to be held in April, which would probably heighten tensions in the capital, a city of 10 million.