REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok)'s driver in Bangka Belitung, Suyanto, was presented as witness by the defendant in the case of religious blasphemy on Tuesday (March 14). In his statement, the witness admitted the existance of leaflets banning Muslims to vote for non-Muslim leaders in 2007 Bangka Belitung elections. "I knew the leaflet, but never read it," Suyanto told the panel of judges.

The judge asked how the witness knew there was a leaflet which invited Muslims not to vote for non-Muslim leaders, even though Suyanto never read the contents of leaflet. Suyanto said he heard the contents from his friends. "I never read, but heard from friends, about the contents of al-Maidah 51," Suyanto said.

The judges then confirmed whether the witness knew the contents of the al-Maidah verse 51. Suyanto also said he did not know the contents of al-Maidah verse 51. "But are you a Muslim?" the judge asked. "Yes I'm a Muslim," the witness replied.

"But you did not know al-Maidah 51? Or ever read the contents of al-Maidah 51?," the judge asked again.

However, the witness admitted that he never read the contents of al-Maidah 51 and did not know the contents of the al-Maidah 51. "I did not know and never read about content al-Maidah 51," witness said.

The judge then asked where the witness knew that al-Maidah verse 51 it is used to scuttle Ahok. "I know this from my friends," said Suyanto as former driver of Ahok.

Then, the judge affirmed whether witness just believe what people or friends said, even without see it and know the contents of the al-Maidah 51. "Yes I do," witness said.

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