Top Indonesian politicians including President Joko Widodo and opposition leader Prabowo Subianto have called for calm ahead of Friday’s planned mass protest against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama by hardline Muslim groups. But if the people within these groups are allowed to spread hatred based on religion as they are currently doing, then there’s a good chance that the protest on Friday will be anything but calm.
During a discussion about Ahok’s case in Jakarta today, Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Spokesman Munarman made the outrageous threat that they would take Ahok’s life in a gruesome manner if the authorities don’t arrest the governor for his alleged blasphemy against the Quran.
“If [Ahok] is not processed by the law, then the state is allowing the enforcement of Islamic law. According to sharia law, those who insult religion must be decapitated,” Munarman said, as quoted by Merdeka today.
Munarman then made accusations about Ahok being protected by top government officials, which is why the National Police isn’t moving forward as quickly as they should with investigating his alleged blasphemy. That said, Munarman said still hopes that Ahok would be found guilty and jailed for 4 years for insulting religion.
Thousands of members of the FPI and other hardline groups are expected to protest en masse in Jakarta and various other cities throughout Indonesia against Ahok on Friday. They are demanding that Ahok answer for his alleged blasphemous words against the Islamic holy book of Quran, which was said in an edited and out-of-context video.
This is not the first time the FPI has made a threat against Ahok’s life. The last anti-Ahok protest carried out by Muslim hardliners like the FPI on October 14 was also dominated by calls to hang Ahok and burn him alive.
According to the KUHP (Criminal Code), making a threat against someone’s life is punishable by up to 2 years and 8 months in prison.
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