By Ainur Rohmah
JAKARTA
The first Christian governor of Indonesian capital Jakarta in nearly 50 years was sworn in Wednesday despite vehement opposition from religious hardliners opposed to a non-Muslim taking the office.
Basuki Tjahaya Purnama, commonly known as Ahok, took the oath of allegiance from President Joko Widodo, the city's previous governor.
His induction has been marked by protests by groups opposed to a non-Muslim governor. The Jakarta Post reported that more than a third of the city’s police manpower were deployed to secure the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta during Ahok’s inauguration.
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population with nearly 90 percent of its 253 million inhabitants declaring themselves Muslim and the promotion of a non-Muslim to such a prestigious post has proved controversial.
Ahok, who served as deputy governor under Widodo, is the city’s first ethnic Chinese leader.
Dressed in a white uniform and black cap at the ceremony, Ahok was asked his religion. “My religion is Christian Protestant,” the 48-year-old father-of-three replied.
Prominent among those opposing Ahok’s appointment is the Islamic Defenders Front. The group has led sometimes violent protests, leading Ahok to call for them to be banned.
Parliamentary supporters of failed presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who make up the Red and White Coalition, have also criticized Ahok’s inauguration, demanding the ceremony is postponed until the Supreme Court can rule on the legality of the appointment.
Ahok, who has a reputation as a forthright politician popular among city residents frustrated with corruption and bureaucratic inertia, resigned from the Great Indonesia Movement Party, known as Gerinda, last month following a dispute over local elections.
However, support has come from a wide strata of Jakartan society, including Islamic groups.
Student Subkhi, who follows the Indonesian tradition of using just one name, criticized the use of religion to oppose Ahok. “Islam teaches compassion and does not advocate anarchy,” he told The Anadolu Agency.
On social media platforms, Jakartans used the hashtag #GubernurAhok [Governor Ahok] to show their support.
“I'll never see #GubernurAhok as an ethnic Chinese and Christian, but a citizen of Indonesia,” tweeted @RustamIbrahim.
Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, chairman of the city council, suggested Ahok should change his abrasive style. “In the future Mr Ahok should be more polite in his attitude,” Pras was quoted by the Kompas.com news website. “The leader should be reassuring, either to the public or to parliament.”
Born on Belitung, an island between Sumatra and Borneo, Ahok’s ethnicity meant he was barred from a government career under the Suharto dictatorship.
After studying at the University of Trisakti, he went into business before entering politics in 2003, becoming ‘regent’ of East Belitung two years later.
His campaign was marked by the populist touch that later became the hallmark of Widodo as he urged constituents to call his personal phone number with any complaints.
He is the city's second Christian governor, following Henk Ngantung who held office from 1964 to 1965.
www.aa.com.tr/en
