Indonesia's Islamists create a re-election minefield for Widodo

President responds to smears by emphasizing support for Rohingya, Palestine

Muslims gather at Jakarta's National Monument on Dec. 2 to mark the anniversary of protests that brought down the capital's ethnic-Chinese Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

ERWIDA MAULIA, Nikkei staff writer

December 28, 2017 10:00 JST

JAKARTA Ridwan Kamil, the popular mayor of Bandung in Indonesia's West Java Province, was once touted by Muslim conservatives to be destined for national leadership. But this changed in March when Kamil, previously backed by the opposition, agreed to support President Joko Widodo ahead of the 2019 general election.