Contemplating a syariah-influenced Indonesian capital
JAKARTA’S 12 million residents and commuters are beginning to consider the possibility of a more Islamic-influenced atmosphere in the capital if Anies Baswedan wins the gubernatorial election on April 19.
Some are even hoping for a syariah-nuanced Jakarta, like Aceh’s capital Banda Aceh, the West Java town of Tasikmalaya or Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta...
These contemplations have amplified after Anies was left as the only rival to incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama following last month’s first-round election. A recent exit poll by Indikator Politik finds that nearly 52.5% of voters favour Anies for the run-off election, versus 44% for Ahok.
Anies, a former culture and education minister, is known as a moderate Muslim intellectual and has denied accusations that he is sowing the seeds of conservative Islam in Jakarta, or is allowing a culture of intolerance to build up against non-Muslims.
However, such expectations of a more syariah-nuanced city have come from his running mate, businessman Sandiaga Uno. Sandiaga said in January that he envisioned a syariah-inspired nightlife entertainment network in Jakarta.
He said the nightlife entertainment programmes, which he claimed would be modelled on the kind of night-life available in Dubai, would feature traditional dances, shalawat (salutation to Prophet Muhammad), religious studies and traditional music.
This could be a good thing. With such programmes, vigilantes will not have as many opportunities to raid nightlife establishments and the firebrand Islam Defenders Front (FPI) could build up a better reputation by restraining its impulse to violence.
The possibility of a Muslim governor among those who want to see Ahok ousted and imprisoned for allegedly insulting Islam have led some to hope for the establishment of a moral police force like in Aceh.
Of course, the arrested people will not be whipped and caned by hooded figures like those in Aceh, since at present, Jakarta has no such bylaw regulating this kind of punishment.
However, concerns about the expanding influence of syariah are fuelled by Anies himself. In January, he turned up at the headquarters of the FPI headquarters, and passionately stated that he was neither a Shiite nor a liberal, as some conservative Muslims had claimed.
This statement might have been important for Anies, who holds a PhD in political science from the Northern Illinois University in the United States.
Anies might have calculated that securing the support of the “Islamic” base was a good deal more important that winning over the despised Shiite minority or the much-maligned “secular” people.
He has pledged to use next year’s budget to allocate some Rp70tril (RM23.25bil) to help all mass organisations in the city, which would include Islamic groups.
Perhaps more importantly for voters, including many poor Muslims, he has pledged to use the budget to help residents buy houses or apartments through a longterm instalment scheme without down payments.
In a meeting with FPI leaders, Anies has also said he had successfully extinguished a “fire” on his campus, the private Paramadina University where he was rector by rejecting proposals for classes on sexual minorities.
Anies’ objection to interfaith marriages reportedly ended the facilitation of such marriages by the Paramadina Foundation several years ago. Perhaps Anies was also trying to convince the FPI that he shared their views on the “problem” of the “gays”.
Many Western educated liberals have expressed dismay over Anies’ apparent shift, as they thought he was someone who generally supported liberal philosophy.
Some observers might say Anies himself has helped to tear down the fabric of the nation by playing the religious card.
Anies has repeatedly denied that he is engaging in such fundamentally sectarian politics and denies his team was behind the controversial declaration of some mosques that they would refuse to perform prayers for deceased Muslims who were suspected of supporting or voting for Ahok.
Anies, the founder of the nationwide Indonesia Mengajar movement, has pledged that if he wins the election, he will establish Islamic study groups in government offices as an example to other cities across the country, and will encourage mass prayers, which are recommended in Islam.
Under governor Anies, we would therefore witness supposedly lazy and corrupt civil servants become more religious.
Mosques in the offices of the administration will be full. People, including me, will again conduct our prayers in public, not just in front of my wife.
I will start showing my ability to read and memorise the Quran like I used to at a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in East Java. All thanks to Anies.
But there are dramatic costs to playing the identity politics card. It is an extremely dangerous turn of affairs for those of us who cherish Indonesia’s peaceful diversity.