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Press Council member summons Muslim preacher over PKI accusation
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Dark time -- Then Maj. Gen. Soeharto briefs members of the Army’s Special Forces (RPKAD, now Kopassus) prior to the removal of the bodies of the Army generals who were murdered during an alleged coup attempt on Sept. 30, 1965, which was blamed on the now defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). As the most senior military officer available at the time, Soeharto led all the operations to restore security and impose order in the aftermath of the alleged coup attempt. (JP/30 Tahun Indonesia Merdeka)
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ress Council member Nezar Patria, through his lawyers, sent a legal warning letter on Monday to university lecturer and Muslim preacher Alfian Tanjung for accusing him of being a cadre of the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
“We rejected and deeply objected a statement by Alfian Tanjung, which has gone viral,” one of the lawyers, Kamal Farza, said in a statement.
In a sermon at Said Grand Mosque in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Oct. 1, 2016, Alfian said the Presidential Palace had been occupied by PKI members.
The lecturer of Hamka Muhammadiyah University said that among the alleged PKI cadres, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Nezar Patria and House of Representatives member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Budiman Sudjatmiko had used the palace for daily meetings held before 8 p.m.
(Read also: Presidential Chief of Staff reports university lecturer over PKI accusation)
Kamal Farza said Alfian’s speech, which mentioned Nezar as a PKI cadre, was slanderous.
“Nezar, who was born in the New Order era [of former president Soeharto], of course has never been a member of the PKI nor a cadre,” the lawyer said.
“As a Muslim, it is impossible that Nezar would fight against Islam, which has become his religion and cultural identity as he was born in Aceh, a region with a strong Islamic tradition in the archipelago,” he added.
Kamal urged Alfian to revoke the accusation and asked for an apology.
“But if Alfian does not revoke his statement, we will take legal action,” he added.
