The long-awaited return of former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama to society is getting nearer with an official estimating that he should be out before the end of next month.
As reported by Tempo yesterday, Law and Human Rights Ministry Corrections Director General Sri Puguh Budi Utami said Ahok should be leaving prison on January 24, which would be a few months short of his full two-year sentence for blasphemy as he has earned several sentence reductions and will almost certainly earn another for the upcoming Christmas holiday.
“Ahok received a total of three months and 15 days [sentence] remission,” Sri said.
Since he was imprisoned on May 9, 2017, Ahok has received a general sentence remission (usually given to prisoners for good behavior) as well as remission in lieu of Christmas holidays.
It seems only Ahok knows what his first move upon release will be, with sources close to him giving conflicting predictions on whether or not he will return to politics. Some in President Joko Widodo’s party, PDI-P, believe that he will and have opened their door for him to join, but others like Ruhut Sitompul — understood to be a close ally of Ahok’s — say that the ex-governor is going into business first while still supporting Jokowi’s campaign for reelection.
The latter would likely be the wisest move for Ahok and his allies, as he could prove to be political poison for Jokowi’s campaign should he go anywhere near it, given his history with hardline and conservative Muslim groups in Indonesia who exhibited their strength in numbers once again at the “212 Grand Reunion” rally on December 2 (celebrating the 2nd anniversary of the largest anti-Ahok protest, which many say was the main factor in his electoral loss and eventual imprisonment) and who are unlikely to forgive and forget Ahok’s alleged blasphemy even after he has served his time.
There is speculation that Ahok’s first moves upon leaving prison may not be political but romantic, as rumors suggest he plans on marrying his ex-wife’s former bodyguard soon after he becomes a free man once more.
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