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Sundanese groups report FPI's Rizieq Shihab to police
Dancers from the Cakranatya Studio perform the Sampura Ingsun dance at the opening of the "Archipelago Souvenirs Creation Contest" event in the Tea House Gallery, at the West Java Cultural Park in Bandung on Oct
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Dancers from the Cakranatya Studio perform the Sampura Ingsun dance at the opening of the "Archipelago Souvenirs Creation Contest" event in the Tea House Gallery, at the West Java Cultural Park in Bandung on Oct. 29. Sampura Ingsun is a form of greeting used by Sundanese people welcoming anyone who comes to Sundanese territory. (Antara/Agus Bebeng) (Antara/Agus Bebeng)
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span class="inline inline-center">Dancers from the Cakranatya Studio perform the Sampura Ingsun dance at the opening of the "Archipelago Souvenirs Creation Contest" event in the Tea House Gallery, at the West Java Cultural Park in Bandung on Oct. 29. Sampura Ingsun is a form of greeting used by Sundanese people welcoming anyone who comes to Sundanese territory. (Antara/Agus Bebeng)
Two NGOs representing Sundanese people, the Sundanese People's Alliance and the West Java Siliwangi Youth Wing, have filed a complaint with the West Java Police against the leader of the radical group Islam Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab for allegedly insulting Sundanese culture over a traditional greeting.
The complaint was initiated by the West Java Siliwangi Youth Wing, whose chairman Noeriy Ispandji Firman said on Tuesday that they made the report on Monday against Rizieq after he allegedly altered the traditional Sundanese greeting "sampurasun" (loosely translated as 'please pardon me') into 'campur racun' (mixed poison).
He said that Rizieq made the remarks during a sermon in Purwakarta some time ago.
"We condemn the leader of the FPI, we do not want Rizieq to enter West Java and demand he publicly apologize," Noeriy said as reported by Antara news agency.
He said Sundanese people would take action if the West Java Police did not deal firmly with the report.
The NGOs showed a 40-second video recording of Rizieq's alleged remarks and reported Rizieq under the Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law as the video was uploaded on video-sharing website YouTube.
Noeriy said the Sundanese people basically disliked disputes but would defend themselves if angered.
Specifically, he said, the 'sampurasun' greeting contained respect and prayers and was part of Indonesia's cultural identity.
"It is not proper for a senior figure to make fun of 'sampurasun' which is an honorary greeting, especially it was done in Sundanese land in Purwakarta," he said.
Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil separately said that no one should make fun of a national culture.
"If Rizieq was joking then it was not funny," he said, urging Rizieq to apologize, as quoted by news portal kompas.com on Wednesday.
Ridwan denied that 'sampurasun' overruled the Islamic greeting of "Assalamualaikum' (peace be with you) as it had a similar positive meaning and did not stray from religion.
"Usually ignorance results in contempt," he said. (rin)
