REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice Chairman of People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nur Wahid has challenged Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) to prove his statement regarding choosing a leader based on religious beliefs violated the constitution. Hidayat believed there's no violation against constitution if the peoples chose leader with the same religion as theirs. "In which verse and chapter it said so?" he asked at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday. 

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Hidayat doubted Ahok able to mention the chapter that was violated if someone vote for leader who share the same religious beliefs with him. Moreover, electing leader of the same religion is a human right which is guaranteed by law. "I'm not sure Ahok could answer that question," he remarked.

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Hidayat explained in article 28 paragraph 1 of the Constitution, there is an affirmation of obligation on human rights. It said the people should respect the rights of others. "It means, if someone is denying other people rights by saying to vote for a leader based on religion is against constitution, then he/she did not perform his/her obligation," Hidayat said. 

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