Muslims throughout Indonesia are furious over the swearing in of Jakarta’s first Christian governor in nearly 50 years.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama had been acting governor since Joko Widodo stepped aside to become the country’s President.

Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population and has been experiencing a wave of religious intolerance from Muslim hard liners angered that other religions have been given freedom to worship.  The new president has vowed to protect religious minorities.

“I don’t need to be approved by everyone,” Purnama told reporters. “The ones that deny me aren’t Jakartans. They come from Bekasi, Depok, Bogor, which are not in my territory.”

Purnama is also the first ethnic Chinese governor of Jakarta.  He is known as a transparent, no-nonsense leader who focuses on elimination of corruption in government.