JOKOWI TRUMPETS NATIONALISM AMID QUERIES ABOUT VEEP PICK
Ulama pick can neuter attacks on president’s alleged lack of religiosity, says analyst
INDONESIA’S president Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, brandished his nationalist and religious credentials yesterday amid reports the ulama chosen to be his running mate in next year’s election was forced on him.
In a last-minute decision, Jokowi announced on Thursday that Ma’ruf Amin, who heads the board of advisers of the country’s biggest mass Muslim organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama, would be his vice-presidential candidate for April’s election.
The duo will be challenged by former general Prabowo Subianto and the private equity tycoon and Jakarta deputy governor Sandiaga Uno.
Wearing a crisp white shirt emblazoned with the slogan “Clean. With the people. Real work.”, Widodo told supporters he would “safeguard our national resources”.
He cited as evidence policies to nationalise oil and gas assets and seize majority ownership of the huge Grasberg gold and copper mine from the United Statesbased Freeport-McMoran.
“It is proof that we are sovereign,” he said.
Ma’ruf later led the crowd in prayer, asking God to “give us the capability and spirit to safeguard us against forces that try to destroy, to weaken us and our country, or break us apart”.
The pair left the stage as Islamic singing, rendered in Arabic, played.
Ma’ruf then delivered a sermon at Friday prayers at the capital’s biggest mosque.
Indonesia politics analyst Marcus Mietzner said Ma’ruf ’s appointment could neuter attacks on Jokowi’s alleged lack of religiosity and elevate nationalist themes in the election campaign.
“(The opposition) are probably going to shift their focus onto ultra-nationalist themes: sell-out to China, invasion of foreign workers, evil imports, predatory investors,” he said.
“These are classic Prabowo themes anyway, but they will become even more pronounced this time.”
Widodo and Prabowo contested the last presidential election, in 2014.
Widodo won but his popularity slumped mid-campaign after false reports were spread online that he was a Christian and an ethnic Chinese descendent.