Indonesian hardliners label Prabowo Subianto ‘traitor’ for meeting with Jokowi
- Former supporters of the failed presidential candidate took to Twitter with hashtags accusing him of betrayal
- The uproar was triggered by Prabowo and Widodo’s first meeting since the April elections, which was seen widely as a truce after months of bickering
The elections saw Prabowo form an alliance with a number of Muslim hardline groups that analysts have said only viewed the presidential candidate as political vehicle to topple Jokowi and to further their own religious ambitions.
During months of campaigning, Prabowo and his vice presidential running mate Sandiaga Uno pandered to Muslim hardliners to level support against Jokowi and his running mate, Muslim cleric Maruf Amin, who were backed by the country’s biggest Islamic groups, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhamaddiyah.
Prabowo repeatedly pledged to protect Muslim groups and their clerics, while his supporters accused Jokowi of being a repressive leader who criminalised conservative Muslims.
But the alliance took a hit this week with Islamic groups declaring Prabowo “a traitor” for meeting Jokowi on Saturday at Jakarta MRT subway station in a sign of reconciliation.