Family Supports Accepting Sentence

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

The wife of non-active Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Veronica Tan, reads a handwritten letter of her husband to journalists in Jakarta, Tuesday (23/5). Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and his lawyers have agreed not to appeal the verdict and two-year prison sentence handed down by the North Jakarta District Court in a blasphemy case.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS —Family members of non-active Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama have explained why they decided not to appeal the sentence handed down by the North Jakarta District Court on May 9 in his blasphemy case. Through a letter read out by his wife, Basuki said he accepted the verdict for good.

“Let us show we believe God is sovereign and has control of each nation. Let us show we have faith in the Almighty God that loves all humans,” Basuki wrote, as read out by his wife Veronica Tan at a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday (23/5). Veronica was accompanied by her younger sister Fify Letty Indra, who is also Basuki’s lawyer, and Basuki’s legal team of I Wayan Sudirta, Teguh Samudera, Rolas B Sitinjak and Josefina Agatha Syukur.

The press conference was called to explain why the family withdrew its appeal against the North Jakarta District Court decision. Last Monday, Basuki’s team of lawyers had submitted the appeal documents to the district court. Not long after that, Veronica and Fify arrived and withdrew the appeal.

From the moment she arrived for the press conference, Veronica, who wore a light green kebaya, looked depressed. The mother of three broke out in tears and paused to weep as she was reading Basuki’s handwritten letter at the National Police Mobile Brigade detention center in Depok. Fify, who sat to her right, patted Veronica’s shoulder, as did Wayan, who sat to her left.

Basuki’s letter mentioned, among other things, that he had pondered about what happened to him and that he had learned to forgive and accept everything. He also accepted the sentence, if it’s for the good of the nation and the state. Basuki also noted economic disadvantages for Jakarta citizens stemming from traffic disruption due to solidarity rallies.

He also expressed concern that other parties, particularly his enemies, would use the rallies. Basuki thanked his supporters for staging the rallies in an orderly fashion and lighting up candles in the struggle to enforce the Constitution, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, the state ideology of Pancasila and the motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

Hard decision

Fify said the decision to withdraw the appeal had not been an easy one, but added that after reading Basuki’s letter, his family fully understood Basuki’s position. The family had had a long discussion, and the decision had only been made on Monday (22/5) afternoon, after the team of lawyers had filed the appeal.

“Many volunteers sent prayers, stood under scorching sunlight demanding Ahok’s release. We wanted to join the action, but we must not be selfish. We have to consider many issues,” Fify added.

Speaking separately, Attorney General HM Prasetyo said his side had not decided on the appeal. “I heard about the decision [of Basuki’s family to withdraw the appeal]. But, we have not decided whether to continue or to withdraw,” he said.

(DEA/IAN)