REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT -- The alleged case of blasphemy involving Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) should be resolved by law, Vice President Jusuf Kalla has stated. "The case is not the subject of religion and politics," Jusuf Kalla said on board Presidential Plane Boeing 737-400 here on Monday.
The case should be resolved by law enforcement agencies including police and the attorney general office. "Indonesia is a state of law. We should address the case by law," the vice president remarked.
He made these remarks after talks with representatives of demonstrators supporting the edict of the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) on the case. The representatives of demonstrators included KH Bachtiar Nashir of the Arrahman Quranic Learning, Ustaz Zaitun Rasmin of Wahdah Islamiyah, and Ustaz Misbah of the Islamic Defenders Front.
The vice president was accompanied by chief of presidential staff Teten Masduki, Minister/Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, presidential spokesman Johan Budi, Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Saifuddin and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto. Asrul Sani and Abu Bakar Al Habsyi of the House Commission III were also attending the meeting.
More than 100 thousand people protested against the Jakarta governor's alleged blasphemous statement concerning the Holy Quran. The protestors were from various regions across the country such as East Java, West Java, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan and West Sumatra.
In his speech before the protesters here Friday, Kiai Jafar Siddiq, an ulama (Islamic scholar) from Jakarta, stressed that the peaceful rally did not have anything to do with the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election or other political interests. "The Muslims were united in the rally while calling for law enforcement against the alleged case of blasphemy," he said.
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