ASIA/INDONESIA - Archbishop of Semarang: "Serve the common good, beyond religious belief"

Friday, 28 November 2014

Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - "Who holds political and institutional office is called to serve the people and to promote the common good, beyond his personal religious beliefs or ethnicity. And citizens have to choose leaders for their skills, expertise, professionalism, not for religion": is what Mgr. Johannes Pujasumarta, Archbishop of Semarang and Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia said to Agenzia Fides, following the decision of the government of Joko Widodo to appoint the Christian Protestant Ahok as governor of Jakarta, until now deputy governor. Ahok took office on 19 November.
When he left the office of mayor of Solo (city in Central Java), current president Joko Widodo, a Muslim, appointed in his place the Catholic vice mayor Fransiskus Xaverius Rudi Hadiatmo. Therefore the role of governor of Jakarta, which Jokowi left to assume the presidency of the nation, was replaced by the Christian Ahok, who is also the first Indonesian ethnic Chinese to hold the post. Ahok, 48, will rule Jakarta until the end of the five-year period which ends in 2017.
Some Islamic extremist groups, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), have criticized Ahok, calling him an "enemy of Islam", many Muslim leaders have instead supported his appoinment, acknowledging his "honesty, discipline, transparency". Archbishop Pujasumarta has urged Catholics to pray for Ahok, "so he can serve the region of Jakarta without being influenced by groups of interest or feelings based on ethnicity or religion, but is guided only by the good of the people". (PCP -PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/11/2014)


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