Blasphemy case against Jakarta's Christian governor brings fragile beacon of democracy and stability to a dangerous edge.
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Jakarta's governor, is not known for diplomatic remarks.
He has called Christianity a ridiculous religion. He curses during interviews and once lashed out publicly at me for being a white foreigner.
But it wasn't until his comments about a Quranic verse that Ahok, as the popular Christian governor of Chinese decent is better known as, really got into trouble. And with him the country as a whole.
It happened during an election event where he told a woman not to be "fooled" by people using the verse that Muslims can't be led by someone of a different religion.
It was a remark his opponents have since then gratefully used seemingly to stir up religious sentiments for their own political gain.
It is a dangerous game in a country with a Muslim-majority population which officially upholds a principle of unity in diversity.
A struggle for a more conservative interpretation of Islam that has been simmering for decades suddenly burst into the open.
More than 100,000 protesters were mobilised by ultraconservative and conservative groups on November 4 to demand Ahok's arrest.
Some shouted he should be hanged, the punishment for blasphemy under Islamic law.
The government was completely taken off-guard. President Joko Widodo, a close ally of Ahok, even tried to pretend it was business as usual by paying a work visit to the airport that day.
It was one of the largest demonstrations I have witnessed in 20 years covering Indonesia.
It was not only a fist made by people angered by Ahok's remarks.
It was also a strong political sign that Widodo's government was under threat and even Indonesia's secularism was under threat, not only by Widodo's political opponents, who allegedly paid huge amounts of money to mobilise people to protest, but by anyone who benefits from political instability.
A few weeks ago, Indonesia was a fragile beacon of democracy and stability in the region. Suddenly, the country was brought to a dangerous edge.
In an effort to control damage, Widodo immediately called off his visit to Australia to pay courtesy visits to military and police units, as well as political and religious leaders and urged everyone to uphold the nation's principle of Pancasila, which basically stands for secularism.
But Indonesia's Pancasila has seldom been so threatened. And not just because President Widodo failed to firmly defend the country's secular system.
Religious dogmas
The seeds were planted long ago. During the 10-year rule of his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, violent ultraconservative groups flourished like never before.
Their so-called religious dogmas spread rapidly to all corners of society.
The result is the same as a phenomenon we see worldwide: a society increasingly based on intolerance, hatred and discrimination along racial and religious lines.
Minorities in Indonesia, like Christians and ethnic Chinese, are holding their breath.
Police has now decided to name Ahok a suspect in a blasphemy case. Many people feel the government has bowed to pressure from the masses and has failed Pancasila once again.
But to calm down heated sentiments not only in public but also on social media, the government clearly did not see any other option.
Those now fervently and increasingly defending Indonesia's secular system hope that Widodo has a plan up his sleeves to outsmart his opponents once again, stop the uncontrollable spread of hatred and bring the country back to where it was a few weeks ago: a fragile beacon of democracy and stability in the region.
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