With the long and hard-fought Jakarta governor’s election finally ending tomorrow (barring legal challenges or some other unforeseen circumstance), President Joko Widodo took the moment to, somewhat obliquely, address the concerns facing the nation over the deeply divisive vote.
Although President Jokowi has attempted to appear as hands-off as possible in regards to the capital’s gubernatorial race (to avoid accusations that he is actively supporting his former vice governor, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama) Jokowi has made a few comments recently showing his concerns for how religious sentiment has been increasingly used as a political tool. Last month he said, “[The two issues] should be separate so people can know what is religion and what is politics,” a comment that earned him severe criticism from some conservatives who accused him of promoting secularism.
It’s unlikely that the president’s statements from today will generate the same controversy, although it’s quite clear he’s addressing the same topic.
“To all the people of Indonesia, I also want to instruct you, do not be easily tempted by racial issues that weaken our nation and state. Do not be afraid to fight intolerance and violence in the name of anything,” Jokowi said during a speech for the Asia-Africa Conference today at the State Palace, as quoted by Kompas.
The president did not connect the remark to tomorrow’s election in Jakarta, instead saying that it was a unifying sentiment first voiced by President Sukarno at the very first Asia-Africa Conference, which took place 62 years ago.
“That was the message of Bung Karno, the principle of live and let live, as well as unity and diversity, a unifying force which would bring us together and allow us to freely express ourselves,” said Jokowi.
It was probably the strongest message that the president could make today in support of Ahok without provoking a backlash. But observers suggest he has helped nudge the pieces on the board to give his former right-hand man a fighting chance tomorrow, from subtly pushing officials from Islamic organizations and Islamic political parties to support Ahok to putting in place police officials who are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of the election (by, for example, blocking the hardline Islamist plan to bring hundreds of thousands from outside the capital to “monitor” polling stations).
We’ll see tomorrow if the president’s soft support will be enough to get Ahok past the statistical dead heat and over the 50% finish line.
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