TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Metro Jaya Police issued a letter suggesting the North Jakarta District Court to postpone the upcoming trial of religious blasphemy case involving non-active Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok.
Through the letter, the Metro Jaya Police suggested that the trial to be postponed until after the Jakarta Gubernatorial election, which scheduled to take place on April 19, 2017, had finished. Initially, the trial was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
"It is just a regular letter. It is normal if the police delivered a letter related to the [trial] so that preparations for the voting can be carried out [appropriately]," said Chief of Public Relation of Metro Jaya Police Sr. Comr. Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono through short text message on Thursday, April 6, 2017.
The letter was signed on April 4, 2017, by Chief of Metro Jaya Police Insp. Gen. Mochammad Iriawan.
Argo explained that the letter was issued in an effort to maintain security and order in Jakarta, and to allow preparation for the upcoming gubernatorial election to run smoothly.
"Considering that the trial will be held close to the voting day, there are possibilities of mass mobilization. Therefore, [the letter] was issued to minimize such possibilities," Argo stated.
EGI ADYATAMA
