Most people on social media in Indonesia have probably received or even shared stories and memes pertaining to the 2017 Jakarta governor election, which pits incumbent Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama against former education minister Anies Baswedan and Agus Harimurti, son of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Though the election is still a while away, the Jakarta Metro Police are already anticipating that issues shared on social media in regards to the election could contribute to a hostile atmosphere during the election, particularly if the stories that are being shared are false or incite hatred.
To avoid that, the police have announced that they plan to monitor social media platforms in the lead up to the 2017 election.
“We urge [people] on social media not to insult, corner, provoke, and spread issues regarding race and religion,” said Jakarta Metro Police Chief Inspector General Mochamad Iriawan, as quoted by Metro TV today.
“Let’s all contribute to a conducive atmosphere. Don’t let there be hate, black campaigns, and issues regarding race and religion.”
During his tenure, Governor Ahok has been a victim of so many racist and religionist abuse from his critics in Jakarta, with Islamic hardliners in particular often voicing their disdain that Jakarta’s governor is a Chinese Protestant.
However, early signs suggest that all the candidates may tussle for the Jakarta top job in an amicable fashion, after they were all photographed all smiles in a selfie soon after their candidacies were made official.
Regardless, the Jakarta Metro Police say they would allot 15 to 20 thousand personnel to secure the election as soon as the campaign period begins next year.
