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FPI threatens to report Megawati to police for blasphemy
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Hard -- Rizieq Shihab of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) appears at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) office on Nov. 3. Rizieq threatened on Tuesday to report PDI-P chaiwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri to police for allegedly insulting Islam. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
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conservative Muslim group, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), has threatened to report the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Soekarnoputri, to the National Police, alleging she has insulted Islam.
FPI leader Rizieq Shihab said during a hearing with the House of Representatives on Tuesday that his group had yet to make any formal report to the police, but would do so if the police keep responding to reports involving FPI members.
He was accusing Megawati of insulting Islam and its six principles of faith, rukun iman, in her speech during the PDI-P’s celebration bash last week.
(Read also: Megawati calls on 'silent majority' to counter intolerant groups)
In the speech, Megawati mentioned groups she labeled as “anti-diversity” and accused them of having a “closed ideology” that threatens Indonesia’s unity in diversity.
“I have the recording of the speech, which I have watched 10 times, and I found blasphemy against Islam and ethnic cultures,” Rizieq said.
“We can report her if we want and the police should follow it up, but we won’t be arbitrary. We will first go to Megawati to seek clarification: whether it’s us who are misunderstanding, or it’s her slip of the tongue. The police should accommodate our dialogues,” he added.
Recently, Rizieq was reported to the West Java Police for allegedly insulting Pancasila, the state ideology.
PDI-P lawmaker Dwi Ria Latifa said that Megawati did not insult certain parties and religions and asked Rizieq to again carefully check the contents of the speech. (jun)
