Does Ahok’s Blasphemeous Remarks Make Him Loose at Second Round Jakarta’s Governor Elections?

In the blasphemy trial against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, an expert has said he sees criminal intent in controversial remarks made by the governor in a speech in Thousand Islands regency last September 2016. When delivering a speech in front of residents in Thousand Islands regency late last year, Ahok said residents had been tricked by Surah Al Maidah.

Mudzakir, a criminal law expert with Indonesia Islamic University (UII), testified that Ahok had been fully aware of his comment about Surah Al Maidah 51, as he had conveyed a similar statement on at least three occasions: in Thousand Islands, at City Hall and at an event held by a political party. “He intentionally made [blasphemous remarks] about Surah Al Maidah,” Mudzakir said during the 11th hearing in the case on Tuesday. While Ahok repeatedly said his statement referred to people who misuse the verse for certain political goals, Mudzakir said such a defense was unacceptable.

Ahok had not highlighted the false interpretation of the verse in his speech, but only Surah Al Maidah 51, which was deemed holy by Muslims. His intention to commit blasphemy met the criminal element condition stipulated in Articles 156 and 156a of the Criminal Code, which carry a maximum prison sentence of four and five years respectively.

Voicing similiar concerns, a Muslim cleric testified before the court at a trial regarding the blasphemy case of the incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, acknowledging that the controversy over the interpretation of Surah Al Maidah 51 on Muslims not voting for non-Muslim leaders would only occur in Jakarta.

Miftachul Akhyar, a leader of the supervisory board of the biggest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said the 101 regions that held simultaneous elections on February 15 had no problem voting for Muslim or non-Muslim leaders. This was only a problem in Jakarta.

Akhyar added that the election climate in the city should have been conducive if only Ahok had not made his comment about the Quranic verse during his working visit to Thousand Islands last year.

Earlier, Akhyar said that the governor had committed blasphemy while claiming that Surah Al Maidah 51 could be used as a tool to deceive residents to not vote for the non-Muslim leaders. “There’s an indication to mislead people in which [Ahok] asked believers to not believe in the [Quranic] verse,” he said.

The expert said there was nothing wrong with the Quranic verse, Surah Al Maidah 51, which tells Muslims not to appoint a non-Muslim leader. In Surah Al Maidah 51, “leader” is referred to as aulia, which could be interpreted as a leader who is charge of the livelihoods of residents, Miftachul said. “Aulia is a  […] person who can make and revoke policies,” he told the judges.

Ahok’s Effect

As far as, the trials of Ahok’s blasphemy cases, it has been affecting some crucial changes such as between a majority community and a minority community in Indonesia has been had “a suspeciously spirit” and those conditions has been running more worst in social media. If these conditions has been occured, its could have made a social segregration in Indonesia which trigerred a mass brawl and last but not least its could be made the worst security instability in Jakarta.

Secondly, based on Ahok’s remark which blasphemous Al Maidah verse, it has been made Islamic communities in Indonesia and specially in Jakarta has been seriously angry to Ahok and his supporters. It seems like “unfinished reveange or a rivalry” between each others.

Thirdly, Ahok’s effect has been made our country in the spotlight from others countries. A foreigners who stayed in Jakarta especially a Chinese communities has been worried that Ahok’s case continuesly could be made a Chinese ethnic in Jakarta in a dangerous situation. Some of them have been remembered about 1997 riots. A possible if some of a Chinese communities in Jakarta hopes that Ahok’s case could be peacefully solved.

Fourth, in the context of a simultaneous regional elections, several pundits have believed in Ahok’s would be lost at second round Jakarta Governor elections. Furthermore, in the 12th Ahok’s trial, Ahok and his lawyers team have been rejected

one of witnesses testifying at Tuesday’s hearing, Yunahar Ilyas from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and also Muhammadiyah Vice Chairman, eventhough finally Ahok and his lawyers team could take Yunahar Ilyas testified. Yesterday, on their press release, Pemuda Muhammadiyah, Muhammadiyah youth’s underbow has said the rejection of Ahok and his lawyers on Yunahar Ilyas testified had been un-reasonable. From politics perspective, “the disputes” between Ahok and several Moslem’s leader and Muslim’s cleric could be damaged their position to take Muslim’s supports at Jakarta Governor elections, so some of pundits has been predicted that Ahok will be lost at second round Jakarta regional elections.

Perhaps, several political party which supported Agus-Sylviana Murni such as PPP from Rommy’s groups, PAN, PKB and Democrat Party have been supporting and giving their voting or their aspiration to Anies-Sandi. Some Moslem Party such as PPP, PAN and PKB, if they haven’t give their vote to Ahok-Sandi at second round Jakarta governor elections, perhaps the symphaty of a majority Moslem communities couldn’t be supported to them. It will happen, it would be a catastrophic tragedy for Moslem party who still supported Ahok although Ahok had been blasphemeous their faith. Hopefully it doesn’t happen. Lets we are successing the next Jakarta governor elections for Jakarta residents peacefully and prosperous.

*) Amril Jambak, a senior politics analyst. Lives in Pekanbaru, Riau.