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Widodo calls for end to divisive politics in Indonesia

BOGOR (Indonesia) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo has dismissed concerns that Islamist hardliners would create a bigger rift in the country, as he called for an end to identity politics that would divide the nation after a fractious gubernatorial election last week.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said there was nothing unusual about the tensions during the recent election. The leader of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation said that he would promote tolerance by meeting religious groups across the country. Photo: REUTERS

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said there was nothing unusual about the tensions during the recent election. The leader of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation said that he would promote tolerance by meeting religious groups across the country. Photo: REUTERS

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BOGOR (Indonesia) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo has dismissed concerns that Islamist hardliners would create a bigger rift in the country, as he called for an end to identity politics that would divide the nation after a fractious gubernatorial election last week.

“Indonesia needs to avoid divisive issues such as race, religion and ethnicity to win elections,” Mr Widodo told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in an interview, days after his close ally, Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese and Christian minority, lost in the election run-off on April 19.

“We need to focus on policy issues and programmes,” the President said, adding that there was nothing unusual about the tensions that rose during the recent election.

The leader of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation said that he would promote tolerance by meeting religious groups across the country. “Now it is my task to bring the people together again. Our DNA is pluralism,” he added.

Religious tensions have been an undercurrent in the election campaign, with Purnama on trial for blasphemy over comments he made last year that many said were insulting to Islam.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims took to the streets late last year to call for him to be sacked and to urge voters not to elect a non-Muslim leader.

After a polarising campaign that cast a shadow over Indonesia’s reputation for practising a tolerant form of Islam, former education and culture minister Anies Baswedan won with 58 per cent of the votes versus 42 per cent for Purnama.

Purnama’s loss and comments by Mr Widodo over the weekend apparently expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of some of his ministers have prompted speculation that the President could be planning a Cabinet reshuffle to make space for him.

“I always set targets for my ministers. I am ready to dismiss or replace aides and ministers if targets are missed,” Mr Widodo said on Saturday at an economic forum organised by the Indonesian Ulema Council in Jakarta.

Political analyst Ray Rangkuti told Indonesian news portal Tempo that one of the positions that is suitable for Purnama is Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucracy Reform.

Throughout the campaign, Purnama was on trial for insulting Islam, an offence that carries up to five years in prison.

Indonesian prosecutors have recommended two years’ probation, with a possible one-year jail term if he commits a crime during the period. The verdict of the trial will be delivered on May 9.

The Indonesian President, who does not come from the traditional business and military elite, catapulted to national prominence after becoming Jakarta governor with Mr Purnama serving as his deputy. Mr Widodo took office in 2014, after defeating Mr Prabowo Subianto.

The Jakarta poll is seen as a marker to the next presidential poll due in 2019, which Mr Subianto is expected to contest. Mr Subianto had backed Mr Baswedan in last week’s poll.

Mr Widodo said in the WSJ interview that “investors are not worried” about the election. The rupiah, weaker against the dollar by 1.7 per cent in 2017, strengthened slightly after the election, as did the local stock market, which is up nearly 7 per cent on the year.

Intent on pushing ahead with an ambitious programme to build roads, ports and railways, he has courted more investments from China and aimed to grow Indonesia’s economy by more than 5 per cent each year.

Beijing’s investment in Jakarta has more than doubled since 2015, and it is now the third-largest investor in Indonesia, behind Singapore and Japan.

Mr Widodo also said he was studying options for a bilateral trade deal with the United States, weeks after US President Donald Trump’s administration said it was scrutinising trade with South-east Asia’s largest economy for anti-competitive practices.

Mr Widodo had told US Vice-President Mike Pence during his visit to Indonesia last week that both countries should start new trade discussion after the collapse of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

“I agreed with him that because there is no TPP, we must discuss about bilateral” options, Mr Widodo said, adding that Indonesia will prepare a team of negotiators to speak with Washington.

“I think it’s not difficult,” he added. “I told the Vice-President, ‘President Donald Trump is a former businessman. I’m also a former businessman. It’s very easy to make an agreement.’” AGENCIES

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