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Jakarta election: Tight security for divisive governor contest | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Voters in Jakarta are choosing a governor in a run-off election that has been called "the dirtiest and most divisive" Indonesia has ever seen. | |
Polls suggest it is a close race between incumbent Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian of Chinese descent, and Anies Rasyid Baswedan, a Muslim. | |
Mr Purnama is also on trial for blasphemy, which he denies. | |
Security is tight amid heightened racial and religious tensions. | |
Hardline Islamist groups have accused Mr Purnama of insulting a Koranic verse during a campaign speech and have rallied large crowds against him. | |
Correspondents say this has made the election a choice between secularism and a growing hardline Islamist movement in Indonesia. | |
How is the vote going? | |
BBC Indonesian editor Rebecca Henschke says that though extra security officers have been deployed to polling stations, the mood in Jakarta is not overly tense and there is still a festive atmosphere. | |
Mr Purnama, also popularly known as "Ahok", voted with his family in north Jakarta early on Wednesday morning. | |
He told reporters: "Jakartans must use their voice as the future of Jakarta is in their hands. Don't be afraid, the police are here providing security." | He told reporters: "Jakartans must use their voice as the future of Jakarta is in their hands. Don't be afraid, the police are here providing security." |
A coalition of hardline Islamic groups supporting Mr Basedan previously said that it would send at least 100 activists to each polling station to monitor voting. But correspondents say they have a very limited presence so far. | |
Police have warned against voter intimidation. | |
Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front which has been leading protests against Mr Purnama, has also cast his vote. | Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front which has been leading protests against Mr Purnama, has also cast his vote. |
Asked by the BBC if his group was damaging Indonesia's pluralist democracy, he said: "Democracy doesn't stop someone from voting for a person from the same religion as you.... Christian vote for Christian, Muslims vote for Muslim." | Asked by the BBC if his group was damaging Indonesia's pluralist democracy, he said: "Democracy doesn't stop someone from voting for a person from the same religion as you.... Christian vote for Christian, Muslims vote for Muslim." |
The election has also seen anti-Chinese sentiment, sparking unease in a country that has seen violence against its Chinese minority previously. | |
A number of Chinese Indonesians who turned up to vote told the BBC that they were not intimidated. | |
"Politics is cruel. There will be threats, physically or verbally. But I still feel comfortable even though I'm of Chinese descent.... So far they only scream out hatred but haven't really acted on it," one voter, Rudi Irmawan, told the BBC. | |
What is the controversy about? | What is the controversy about? |
Mr Purnama is the first Christian and minority ethnic Chinese leader of Jakarta in over 50 years. | Mr Purnama is the first Christian and minority ethnic Chinese leader of Jakarta in over 50 years. |
He stepped into the role from the deputy post without election in 2014, when his predecessor, Mr Joko Widodo, became president. | He stepped into the role from the deputy post without election in 2014, when his predecessor, Mr Joko Widodo, became president. |
Mr Purnama was accused last year of insulting a Koranic verse during a campaign speech, which he has denied, saying his comments were aimed at politicians "incorrectly" using the Koran against him. | |
Hardline Islamists have cited a verse from the Koran to support an argument that Muslims should not vote for a non-Muslim leader. | |
Correspondents say his rivals have also heavily capitalised on these allegations to harness the Muslim vote, with Mr Baswedan meeting the Islamic Defenders Front twice publically. | |
If convicted, he faces a maximum five-year jail sentence, although he could still govern while appeals are heard. His trial is due to resume on Thursday. | |
How has it affected the outcome? | |
The controversy has clearly hurt Mr Purnama's chances. Once considered the clear frontrunner, he won the first round of the election in February with only 43% of the vote, while Mr Baswedan had 40%. | |
The run-off is now taking place as Mr Purnama failed to win that first round by a sufficiently large margin. | |
The Jakarta Post has described the campaign as "the dirtiest, most polarising and most divisive the nation has ever seen". | The Jakarta Post has described the campaign as "the dirtiest, most polarising and most divisive the nation has ever seen". |
Indonesia is the world's most-populous Muslim country. About 85% of its population are Muslim, but the country officially respects six religions. | |