ICC Note:

The Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI), the hardline Muslims organization that is largely credited with swaying Jakarta’s voters away from the Christian candidate on the basis of religion and for coercing the Indonesian government to try him for blasphemy, is saying that it plans to use its tactic of religious preaching to influence future elections as well. The FPI claims to have 7 million plus members in Indonesia. The Charmain of the FPIs counseling council said, “We will continue to preach at mosques to garner votes for Muslim candidates so that Muslims become aware [of whom they should vote for]. This is our obligation.”

4/25/2017 Indonesia (UCA News) – Radical group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) will spread its tactic of using mosques to sway voters in next year’s regional elections and the 2019 presidential poll.

The group’s leaders claim that the use of dakwah, or preaching, at mosques has been effective to garner votes for Muslim candidates as seen in the recent election for Jakarta governor, which saw Muslim Anies Rasyied Baswedan defeat incumbent Chinese Christian Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, or Ahok.

Now the group, which claims to have more than 7 million members around Indonesia, plans to use the same strategy in upcoming regional and presidential elections.

FPI spokesman Slamet Maarif told media recently that the blasphemy case faced by Ahok since late September contributed to his defeat but that the use of preaching at mosques played a significant role in garnering votes for the Muslim candidate ahead of the election, describing the strategy as “incredible.”

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