Muslim candidate leading in Jakarta poll pledges to safeguard unity

Candidate Anies Baswedan casts his vote in the Jakarta governor election in South Jakarta, Indonesia April 19, 2017. REUTERS/Beawiharta

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Former Indonesian education minister, Anies Baswedan, who is well ahead in unofficial counts in Jakarta's election, pledged to safeguard diversity and unity after a bitterly fought campaign to lead the capital of the Muslim majority nation.

"Our focus is social justice, ending inequality and our commitment is to safeguard diversity and unity," Baswedan told a news conference.

He said he would be in touch with his rival and the incumbent Christian and ethnic Chinese governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

(Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Bill Tarrant)