President Joko Widodo surprised many when he selected Islamic cleric Ma’ruf Amin as his vice presidential running mate. Dr Budhy Munawar Rachman looks at Ma’ruf’s record at the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) and writes that if the pair are elected, things could become a lot worse for religious minorities.

Major changes are coming for the certification and marketing of halal products in Indonesia. Dr Stewart Fenwick examines the new halal regime, which he warns could see the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) gain influence over most areas of commercial and industrial activity in the country.

Professor Tim Lindsey examines the blasphemy allegations against Jakarta Governor Basuki ‘Ahok’ Tjahaja Purnama. He writes that the case reveals two problems at the heart of Indonesian democracy: the rise of religious intolerance among Indonesia’s Muslim majority and the manipulation of that intolerance by the small group of elite politicians who dominate Indonesian politics.

The Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) has made headlines recently over its controversial fatwa against the Gafatar movement and the LGBT community. Tim Mann takes a look at the council, and the extent to which its fatwa are able to influence policy and legal decisions in Indonesia.