JAKARTA (Reuters) - Tens of millions of Indonesians head to the polls on Wednesday (Feb 15) in local elections across the Muslim-majority country, with bitter feuding over the powerful post of Jakarta governor stoking political and religious tensions.
Incumbent Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Jakarta's first ethnic Chinese and Christian leader, has angered some Muslim voters for allegedly insulting the Quran. He has denied wrongdoing, but is on trial for blasphemy in a case that rights groups and his supporters view as politically motivated.
Purnama is backed by President Joko Widodo's party and is running against Agus Yudhoyono, the son of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and ex-education minister Anies Baswedan.
The two Muslim candidates appear to have won over much of the conservative Islamic vote and some Purnama supporters.
"In terms of performance, I support Ahok," said Ferdi Ramadhan, 20, referring to Purnama's nickname.
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VOTING PROCESS IN JAKARTA
Official results are expected to be announced March 8-10.
If no candidates achieves a majority in the first round, a runoff is expected in May between the two candidates securing the most votes.
Defeated candidates can dispute the results in the Constitutional Court.
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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
If incumbent governor Purnama wins the Jakarta election but is convicted of blasphemy, he is legally allowed to assume office as long as the appeals process is ongoing.
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BY THE NUMBERS
7.1 million people are registered to vote in Jakarta.
Elections will be held for governors, mayors and regents in 101 regions throughout the country.
Seven provinces, including Jakarta, will choose a governor and there will 18 city elections and 76 district elections.
"However, there's the consideration of religion. I'm a Muslim...so I think I will vote for Anies Baswedan," he said, after participating in a skate-boarding contest park at a park in the capital.
It was built under Purnama's administration on the site of a former red-light district.
Purnama has been popular among the middle classes for cutting red tape in the traffic-clogged city and pushing through infrastructure projects, such as constructing defences against sea water intrusion.
But the forced evictions of slum dwellers from their riverbank homes to ease chronic flooding in the city have also angered many mainly Muslim residents.
Muslims make up around 85 per cent of the city's population, which also has sizeable Christian and other minorities.
The divisions have played out among communities, families and friends - much of it on social media and exacerbated by"fake news" stories - echoing the rifts seen in Britain over Brexit and the United States over the election of President Donald Trump.
"I personally am sick of arguing about these candidates and would like to just move on. It puts a lot of strain on friendships," said Sari Ekaputri, a 38-year old marketing executive who lives in Jakarta.
CLOSE RACE
Jakarta police will deploy 16,000 officers ahead of voting day as concerns remain about hardline Muslim groups trying to hold similar rallies to the mass protests seen late last year calling for the jailing of Purnama.
Police banned a rally that was being planned by Islamist groups on Feb 11, citing security concerns.
Despite the blasphemy allegations, Purnama has rebounded in opinion polls to remain a frontrunner. Even if he is convicted, he is legally allowed to run the city as long as appeals are under way, according to analysts.
Jakarta's poll is one of scores of regional elections due to be held in other provinces, cities, and districts throughout Indonesia.
But nowhere are the stakes quite as high as in Jakarta.
Winning Jakarta can be a stepping stone to the presidency and Wednesday's vote is widely being seen as a proxy ahead of the 2019 presidential, explaining how intense the campaigning has been.
"This election can determine the trajectory of future Indonesian politics...whether we will see an ugly future, where religion and ethnicity is further politicized for gains," said Tobias Basuki, a political analyst at a Jakarta-based think tank.
CANDIDATES IN JAKARTA ELECTION
BASUKI TJAHAJA PURNAMA, KNOWN AS "AHOK"
The incumbent governor took over running Jakarta in 2014 when his then boss, Joko Widodo, won the presidency.
Purnama, 50, is the city's first ethnic Chinese and Christian leader, and has angered some Muslim voters for allegedly insulting the Quran. He has denied wrongdoing, but is on trial for blasphemy in a case that some view as politically motivated.
He is backed by the country's ruling party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Purnama's popular policies include a commitment to tackling chronic flooding and traffic in the city and improving the bureaucracy.
AGUS YUDHOYONO
He is the oldest son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and retired from the military at 38 to run for the governorship.
He is backed by the Democrat Party and some Islamic parties.
Yuhoyono's campaign has focused on improving the lives of Jakarta's poor and he has promised cash handouts to low-income families.
ANIES BASWEDAN
Baswedan, 47, was the former education minister in President Widodo's government.
He is supported by Gerindra, a party headed by failed presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.
Baswedan's campaign has focused on improving public education and combating the rising costs of food and living.
