Jakarta – The fourth session of the ongoing blasphemy hearing against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama on Tuesday (03/01) may have been closed to the public, but this didn't stop netizens taking on an Islamic Defenders' Front, or FPI, member for his bizarre intentional misspelling of pizza chain Pizza Hut.
Basuki revealed some points from Tuesday's trial session to reporters after the eight hour hearing at the Agriculture Ministry auditorium in South Jakarta.
He said Novel Chaidir Hasan Bamukmin, a witness in the case and FPI secretary general of the Jakarta chapter, had claimed to have worked for "Fitsa Hats" from 1992 to 1995 in an official police investigation report. Novel later conceded the establishment was US-owned pizza chain Pizza Hut, prompting Basuki to speculate he had deliberately changed the name in an effort to obscure having worked for a non-Muslim-led company.
"He changed the phrasing of Pizza Hut and I laughed at that. He was asked [to explain by the judges] and later confessed to changing that part. However, he signed that report," he said after the hearing.
"I thought he felt embarrassed since he has a viewpoint which doesn't allow him to be led by an infidel, or one who has a different faith," he said.
"Fitsa Hats" quickly spread as a meme across Facebook and Twitter. Pandji Pragiwaksono, comedian and spokesperson for the Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno campaign team, posted to his Twitter acount "'Fitsa Hats' might as well be a new brand. It's catchy."
Fitsa Hats. For heads that are too big for normal hats. We understand your needs. This will fit.– Pandji Pragiwaksono (@pandji) January 3, 2017
#fitsahats The most popular T-Shirt in Indonesia. Look your best,Wear this. get it now or you'll miss out! LOL pic.twitter.com/vUPnqIkdVn– Ricko Patrick SLinch (@ricko_andriana) January 4, 2017