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As Indonesia Votes, Jakarta Governor Battles Blasphemy Charge Jakarta Governor’s Race, Seen as Test of Tolerance, Looks Set for a Runoff
(about 2 hours later)
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. JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Christian governor of the capital of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has been fighting for his political life in an election campaign charged with religious and ethnic undertones. After voters went to the polls Wednesday, it appeared that he would have to fight a little longer.
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. Unofficial results from the balloting in Jakarta, the capital, indicated that the governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, held a small lead over his nearest challenger but was unlikely to win more than 50 percent of the vote. If the official results confirm that, a runoff will be held April 18.
Mr. Basuki, who is ethnic Chinese, 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.
Mr. Basuki and his supporters say the court case, which was preceded by mass protests in the capital demanding that he be prosecuted or even lynched, was orchestrated by political opponents to sabotage his election campaign. Analysts also saw the furor over Mr. Basuki’s remarks as an attempt to weaken President Joko Widodo, a key ally of the governor who is expected to seek a second term in 2019.Mr. Basuki and his supporters say the court case, which was preceded by mass protests in the capital demanding that he be prosecuted or even lynched, was orchestrated by political opponents to sabotage his election campaign. Analysts also saw the furor over Mr. Basuki’s remarks as an attempt to weaken President Joko Widodo, a key ally of the governor who is expected to seek a second term in 2019.
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. He was elevated from deputy governor in 2014 after Mr. Joko, his predecessor, was elected president.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. He was elevated from deputy governor in 2014 after Mr. Joko, his predecessor, was elected president.
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. Unofficial results from Wednesday’s voting were expected to be released later in the day. Hours after the polls closed Wednesday, independent polling firms conducting so-called quick counts — which are taken from small samples of ballots cast and which have been highly accurate in past elections — put Mr. Basuki in the lead with 43 percent of the vote, and Anies Baswedan, a former minister of education and culture, in second with 40 percent.
Both of Mr. Basuki’s opponents are Muslim and Javanese: Anies Baswedan, a former minister of education and culture, 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. Other counts had Mr. Basuki ahead by slightly different margins. A third candidate, Agus Yudhoyono, a former Army officer and son of a former president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, finished a distant third with around 17 percent.
Indonesia’s population of 250 million includes more than 190 million Muslims, but it has small but influential minority populations of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. Both of Mr. Basuki’s opponents are Muslim and Javanese, the dominant ethnic group on the island where Jakarta sits. Indonesia’s population of 250 million includes more than 190 million Muslims, but it has small but influential minority populations of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists.
While bread and butter issues like education, health care, transportation and infrastructure development are important to voters, the campaign for governor has been overshadowed by issues of religion and race that have scarcely been seen before in Indonesia’s democratic era. Anti-Chinese and anti-Christian slurs directed toward Mr. Basuki have spread widely on social media in recent months.While bread and butter issues like education, health care, transportation and infrastructure development are important to voters, the campaign for governor has been overshadowed by issues of religion and race that have scarcely been seen before in Indonesia’s democratic era. Anti-Chinese and anti-Christian slurs directed toward Mr. Basuki have spread widely on social media in recent months.
Mr. Basuki was charged with blasphemy months after lightheartedly citing a verse in the Quran last September that warns Muslims against taking Christians and Jews as friends. He said that given Indonesia’s transition to democracy in the late 1990s, it would be acceptable for Muslims to cast ballots for a Christian.Mr. Basuki was charged with blasphemy months after lightheartedly citing a verse in the Quran last September that warns Muslims against taking Christians and Jews as friends. He said that given Indonesia’s transition to democracy in the late 1990s, it would be acceptable for Muslims to cast ballots for a Christian.
The ensuing attacks against him by Islamist groups and his political opponents came despite a decades-old regulation against using religion and ethnicity as issues in political campaigns.The ensuing attacks against him by Islamist groups and his political opponents came despite a decades-old regulation against using religion and ethnicity as issues in political campaigns.
At a polling station in a firehouse in a lower-class neighborhood in South Jakarta, Sari Rahayu, 47, an elementary schoolteacher who was wearing a traditional Muslim head scarf, or hijab, said she had voted for Mr. Anies. The Quran, she said, made it clear that Mr. Basuki was not an option. Earlier Wednesday, at a polling station in a firehouse in a lower-class neighborhood in South Jakarta, Sari Rahayu, 47, an elementary schoolteacher who was wearing a traditional Muslim head scarf, or hijab, said she had voted for Mr. Anies. The Quran, she said, made it clear that Mr. Basuki was not an option.
“We’re not allowed to choose a leader who is not Muslim,” she said.“We’re not allowed to choose a leader who is not Muslim,” she said.
She said that Mr. Basuki did a good job in office but added, “He doesn’t have the right to speak about the Quran.”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. Anshori, an exporter who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name, came to the same firehouse with his wife and daughters, who were in hijabs along with red and blue checked shirts that Mr. Basuki’s supporters have long worn.Still, the governor has no lack of support among Muslims, who make up the majority of voters in Jakarta. Anshori, an exporter who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name, came to the same firehouse with his wife and daughters, who were in hijabs along with red and blue checked shirts that Mr. Basuki’s supporters have long worn.
“He’s honest. No corruption. He’s firm,” Mr. Anshori said. “We’re not angry about the religious attacks; it’s just something we have to face.”“He’s honest. No corruption. He’s firm,” Mr. Anshori said. “We’re not angry about the religious attacks; it’s just something we have to face.”
Asked whether he felt Mr. Basuki could win the election in one round, he said: “Inshallah,” meaning “God willing.”Asked whether he felt Mr. Basuki could win the election in one round, he said: “Inshallah,” meaning “God willing.”