Humble Musings: A response to the Jakarta gubernatorial elections 2017

     Ahok lost the election. Incumbent Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) was defeated today by Anies Baswedan. I’m in shock. In a Whatsapp group called “Tanah Airku” (my homeland), there are open expressions of grief and disbelief.  Even in my Instagram stories I came across a lot of colleagues expressing shock and disbelief towards unexpected turn. Ahok’s loss in the gubernatorial election was quite a shock to all of us supporting him, but in the same way Ahok’s loss in the race for Jakarta is a wake-up call for all of us. Much like the U.S. Presidential election, however complicated and nuanced it was, Donald Trump’s victory came as a surprise to not only the U.S. but to other nations as well. None of us were ready for it, yet all of us soon had to accept it. Pak Anies’ victory was unexpected indeed, and it could signal the decline of pluralism in Indonesia. In other words, more hard lined Muslim groups can gain more dominance than ever through Pak Anies’ office. 

      As I’m sitting here munching on the shortbread Dr Haddad (a professor at my college) gave me, I’m wondering if the results of the US Presidential election and the Jakarta gubernatorial election are a call to return to conservatism. With pluralism reigning for quite some time, perhaps hardline conservative groups are tired of the pluralist movement and thus opt for a leader that would protect their beliefs. Perhaps the leaders of these two nations symbolize a pushback against pluralist movements, thus establishing hardline conservative grounds. This being said, Indonesia could be moving away from peaceful, tolerant Islam into something more conservative. With groups like the FPI and PKS supporting Pak Anies, I believe we should expect more opposition as believers in this   world. 

     Still, nothing can really be sure. We are also living in a post-truth era, where the simple definition of truth can be skewed and adjusted according to one's wishes. It's really hard to determine who's right and who's wrong. Like really, really hard. In a world where people are itching to hear what they want to hear instead of truth, it's tricky to make bold claims. Though Ahok is known for his coarse speech, he speaks truth regarding Indonesia's corrupt condition.

And yet I refuse to give up.

I still believe in justice-- in a government system that actively fights against corruption and injustice toward the poor. Ahok was the man for the job. His service as a Christian governor in a predominantly Muslim world speaks volumes to his passion for Indonesia. His term as governor should motivate us believers to love our neighbors as ourselves.

      Yes, it is hard to accept the loss of the hero we're rooting for. No, it is not acceptable for believers to become hostile to our neighbors. Ahok's loss should not start a chain reaction of anger, hatred, or malice. Rather, his loss should be a call to love, to action, and, if you really care that much, to be more involved in Indonesia's political system.

     Personally, I think Ahok didn't lose. Why? Because I believe his impact was so great that his legacy of clean government would be continued through youths rising up to the challenge of governance in Indonesia. 

Truly, for a believer, this world is not our home. However, we have hope that one day we will be where we belong. Until that day, let us fight the good fight. Let us not lose faith. Let us not lose our hope, for truly in Christ we are victorious.

(Disclaimer: these are my humble responses to a highly nuanced political election. If there was some sort of misinformation, blame the media.)