TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Blasphemy case defendant Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama did not say much about criticisms over his note of exception that he conveyed in the first hearing of his trial on Tuesday. Member of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Novel Chaidir Hasan has reported him over his note of exception to the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim).
Ahok had previously been reported by the FPI on October for allegedly insulting religion. Novel and members of mass ogranization Advokat Cinta Tanah Air (ACTA) have recently reported Ahok over alleged blasphemy in his note of exception.
“He keeps reporting me,” Ahok said yesterday on the issue at campaign center Rumah Lembang in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
ACTA accused Ahok of violating article 156 (a) of the Criminal Code. It considers that some sentences in his note of exception he read at the Central Jakarta District Court blasphemous, such as “The same verse that I know well had been used to divide the people.” Also the sentence: “Elite individuals hiding behind the holy book of Islam, they had [mis-]used the surah al-Maida, verse 51”.
In its report, ACTA submitted evidence such as video recording of the note of exception read by Ahok, an e-book titled “Berlindung di Balik Ayat Suci” (Hiding Behind the Holy Book). The book had previously been made evidence over report made by the FPI chief Muhammad “Habib” Rizieq Shihab.
“I had already been reported [over the book]. The Bareskrim, Habib Rizieq or whoever had used [my] book to report me. He said that I had allegedly blasphemed the al-Maida since 2008,” Ahok said.
Ahok said the book is available for sale in book stores. Ahok wondered whether a holy book can be used in certain circumstances. Beacuse he had seen Islamic political parties endorsing non-Muslim politicians but not considered blasphemous.
“[They] didn’t being accused of blasphemy, didn’t they? Not accused of acting against religion? What I’m trying to say is, get over it. The logic is, as I had said before: it’s for the regional election, I therefore made reference to the verse,” Ahok said.
LARISSA HUDA | REZKI ALVIONITASARI
