REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Chairman of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Youth Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak encourages President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to immediately suspend Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) from his position as governor of Jakarta. Dahnil conveyed the demand in a meeting with the President on Monday (Feb 20) at the Presidential Palace.
Dahnil argued that Ahok was the source of the recent political uproar, especially because of the alleged religious blasphemy case. He said regardless of various debate on his legal argumentation, Muhammadiyah Youth thought it was very important to legally and immediately discharged Ahok temporarily. "We have conveyed it to Mr. Jokowi," said Dahnil in the Presidential Palace on Monday.
Responding the request, Dahnil said President preferred to use legal basis to respond the demand. Although the reactivation of Ahok status as governor has triggered some controversy, Jokowi insisted to wait for legal argumentation from formal institutions. "Mr Jokowi said he would take a brief and firm action against Ahok when the legal argumentation is available. He said the legal argumentation should come from formal institutions," Dahnil remarked.
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Dahnil explained that the formal legal argumentation could come from the fatwa issued by the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court refused to issue the fatwa, Jokowi would waited the result from the Administrative Court. If the Administrative Court decided to suspend Ahok as a governor, Jokowi would follow the decision.
Dahnil said he understood the position where the President needed a legal formal argumentation due to the case. He said it was very important.
The Interior Minister has reactivated Ahok after his campaign leave period was over on Feb 11. Ahok has been indicted with violating articles 156 and 156 (a) of the Criminal Code on blasphemy.