JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The rejection from hardline Islamic group towards the upcoming installment of Vice Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama as new Jakarta Governor intensifies on Wednesday (September 24) as hundreds of the Islam Defenders Front’s (FPI) members was demonstrating in front of the building of the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD).
Around 500 members of the FPI reportedly participated in their rally demanding the DPRD Jakarta to not installing Ahok as new Jakarta Governor.
The representatives of the FPI are now involved in the meeting with the leaders of the DPRD Jakarta to deliver their demands.
Hundreds of security officers from the Police and the Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), meanwhile, have been deployed to guard the FPI’s rally.
As reported earlier, Ahok calmly responded the protest and said he understood that it is the people’s rights to stage a rally to express their voices.
The 48-year-old Christian and Chinese descent politician, however, stated that he might file a report against the FPI should the hardline Islamic group rejected him to be sworn in as new Jakarta governor just because religion and racial issues. This would be another test of Jakarta’s plurality
Ahok is subjected to Article 26 Paragraph 3 of the Regional Administration Law No. 32/2004 will be automatically installed as new Jakarta Governor should Joko “Jokowi” Widodo be sworn in as the new President of the Republic on October 20. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)