TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The legal status of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), in connection with a blasphemous remark he had allegedly made recently, will be determined within the next two weeks, police said on Saturday.

"Within the next two weeks, the case will be exposed with regard to determining the legal status of the one reported in the case (Basuki). Hence, the collection of information from witnesses who have made the report and experts must be completed immediately, the head of public relations division of the Indonesian Police, Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar, said at a press conference.

He said that during the exposition, facts collected from witnesses and the results of digital forensic investigation into the video of Basukis remark, which has gone viral quoting one of the Koran verses during his visit to Kepulauan Seribu in North Jakarta recently, would be discussed.

So far, the police have questioned 11 people who have reported the case, 13 witnesses from the party and nine expert witnesses, including Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, who is the chief of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

The police will focus on additional expert witnesses, including Maruf Amin, the general chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulamas (MUI), scheduled to be questioned on Tuesday.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, or Ahok as he is also called, will also be questioned on Monday.

"We appeal to the people to be patient and understand that this mechanism is the police standard procedure of investigation, which has been put in the regulation of the Indonesia Police chief," Boy said.

Hundreds of thousands from various Muslim organizations staged demonstration at the Merdeka state palace and the National Monument square to demand law enforcement over the alleged case of blasphemy by Ahok.

In response, the government said that the investigation of the case would be done firmly, quickly and transparently.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla met with several representatives of the demonstrators consisting of KH Bachtiar Nashir (Arrahman Quranic Learning), Ustadz Zaitun Rasmin (Wahdah Islamiyah) and Ustadz Misbah (FPI), and reached the agreement to conduct the investigation quickly.

Kalla was flanked by presidential chief staff Teten Masduki, cabinet secretary Pramono Anung, presidential spokesman Johan Budi, religious affairs minister Lukman Saifuddin, and coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Wiranto. President Joko Widodo failed to receive the representatives of the demonstrators despite efforts to reach the palace after an inspection of the railway project at Soekarno-Hatta airport due to traffic congestion.

ANTARA