Indonesian police said on Wednesday they will proceed with an investigation into a blasphemy complaint brought by Muslim groups against the Christian and ethnic Chinese governor of Jakarta and banned him from leaving the country.
The complaint against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, widely known as Ahok, comes after unrest in the Indonesian capital that forced his political ally, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, to postpone a keenly anticipated state visit to Australia.
Ari Dono Sukmanto, chief of the National Police criminal investigation department, told reporters that although there had not been consensus after an initial investigation, "the dominant opinion is that this case should be settled in court".
?A decision to drop the case could have sparked mass protests led by hardline Muslims against not just Ahok but also the president, widely known as Jokowi. [WAtoday] Read more
