JAKARTA. Religious issues have come to the fore in the political arena prior to the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, with Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama claiming that a rival has started to use religion to discredit him.

Ahok, who is a Christian, has accused former justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra of discrediting him when the latter spoke out about a plan to evict people living in Luar Batang, where there is a centuries-old mosque, in North Jakarta.

“This area is frequently used for a religious ritual that is respected by traditional Islamic society,” Yusril said on Monday while announcing that he would be the defense lawyer for 5,000 residents of Luar Batang who were fighting eviction by the Jakarta city administration, tribunnews.com reported on Monday.

Yusril did not explicitly mention the mosque, but Ahok, who has declared that he will run as an independent candidate in the election, concluded that the former minister was using the issue to discredit him.

Yusril, who is chairman of the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), an Islamic party, also intends to contest the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election and has started to seek the support of a number of political parties.

Luar Batang Mosque in Penjaringan subdistrict was built in 1739 by Al Habib Husein bin Abubakar bin Abdillah Al 'Aydrus, whose tomb is also located there.

Ahok has stated that he has no intention of demolishing the mosque, pointing out that it was a heritage building and protected under a city bylaw. He said he had renovated and beautified the mosque and its surroundings.

“As a lawyer, if Pak Yusril wants to challenge me he should use law. Don’t discredit me, saying that I want to demolish the tomb of Habib,” he told journalist at City Hall on Monday, adding that Yusril’s statement could spark outrage against the Jakarta administration.

Yusril said he had been appointed to represent 5,000 residents of Luar Batang against the city administration in its plan to evict them.

With its historical background, Ahok added, the Luar Batang mosque and tomb should be put on the map of religious tourism. “What I want is to make the area a tourist destination. So it isn't the mosque that we want gone,” he added.

Previously, another gubernatorial hopeful, musician Ahmad Dhani, criticized the National Awakening Party (PKB), which it was reported would support Ahok in the gubernatorial election, saying that the PKB's move was not representative of its constituents, who were Muslims.

Editor: Dupla Kartini