Jakarta – Police investigators cannot involve lawmakers in a blasphemy probe against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purmama as it would undermine the case's independence, an observer has warned.

Police have vowed a planned expose of the high-profile blasphemy case against Basuki, who made remarks about a Quranic verse in October, will be televised live to uphold transparency as instructed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

The move follows mounting pressure from some groups in the Muslim community, which staged a large-scale protest rally against the Christian and ethnic-Chinese governor in Central Jakarta last week.

Lawmakers have planned to establish a team to oversee the investigation and have been welcomed by police to the hearing, aimed at determining if Basuki's comments constitute a criminal offense.

Ismail Hasani, research director at the Jakarta-based Setara Institute, called on police to invite only "relevant elements" to the case expose, which is part of preliminary investigations.

"The plan for involving House of Representatives members is a mistake. They are not investigators or law enforcers," Ismail, an expert in state administrative law, said in a statement released on Wednesday (09/11).

Lawmakers from the House Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, said they will "ensure the legal process will run its course" by forming a supervisory team, a move Ismail calls "offside."

"The function of the House is to oversee the government in realizing what is mandated by laws, not to oversee specific cases," he said. "Their involvement will only lead to the potential for politicizing the case further and eroding the independence of investigators."

Police are now questioning a number of experts on crime, religion and language in the preliminary investigation into the case, which comes in the lead-up to February's Jakarta gubernatorial race.

Tens of thousands of Muslims took to the streets of Jakarta last Friday in protest of Basuki, who is seeking re-election. The rally proceeded peacefully for most of the day before clashes erupted between demonstrators and police officers after nightfall.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.id/news/lawmakers-must-stay-hands-off-ahok-blasphemy-case-observer-warns/