Is Indonesia’s ethnic Chinese leader over the hump?
A careless but hardly insulting reference to the Koran made on a tiny island in Jakarta Bay by the incumbent governor could still make the difference between winning and losing this week
Appearing before foreign correspondents a few days ago, wealthy businessman Sandiaga Uno, the running mate of Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Anies Basweden, sought to convince his sceptical audience that next week’s election was all about unemployment, education and basic living costs.
If only that was true. When Jakarta goes to the polls on Wednesday, upper- and middle-class citizens may look beyond religion, but the average voter will still be swayed by the ongoing blasphemy trial of Basweden’s rival, ethnic-Chinese incumbent Basuki Purnama.
With that “emotional issue” as the backdrop, the candidates are running neck-and-neck after Purnama and partner Djarot Saiful Hidayat won the first round by a 42.9 per cent to 40 per cent margin in February.
Well-regarded pollster Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting has Basweden and Uno ahead 47.9 per cent to 46.9 per cent in a survey taken in early April. with 5.2 per cent undecided and a margin of error of 4.7 per cent.
With third-placed Agus Yudhoyono, son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhyono, forced from the race in the first round, the run-off hinges to a large extent on how many of his voters will throw their support behind Basweden, given their common strategy in playing the Islamic card.