Security Minister Warns of Extremist Propaganda During Upcoming Elections
Jakarta. Chief Security Minister Wiranto warned on Monday (16/10) of extremists attempting to latch onto political tensions expected to rise during Indonesia's elections in 2018 and 2019.
Authorities have vowed to guarantee security during the polls in 171 provinces, cities and districts — the country's first simultaneous legislative and presidential elections.
There may be attempts to inject extremist and radical propaganda into political campaigns, especially through social media, in the upcoming "years of politics," Wiranto said.
"Political climate will heat up and this may be exploited by certain extremist or radical groups attempting to spark hatred, disorder and conflicts," the retired general explained.
"We'll push efforts to curb this, to prevent public unrest and disorder," he added.
Religious and ethnic tensions ran high in a polarizing campaign during last year's Jakarta gubernatorial election, posing a serious challenge to national unity in the world's largest Muslim-majority democracy.
A series of mass protests driven by Islamist groups shook Indonesia's capital during the poll.
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