The chairman of Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization claimed a minor victory on Thursday after declaring that Saudi Arabia had replaced its ambassador to Indonesia in the aftermath of a controversial tweet he posted about a recent Islamist rally.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Said Aqil Siradj welcomed news that Riyadh had decided to replace Usamah Muhammad Al Syuaiby with his second-in-command as Saudi Arabian envoy to Indonesia, after insulting the grassroots organization on Twitter in December.

The Saudi Embassy’s chargé d’affaires, Yahya Hassan al-Qahtani, has taken up the task of representing the kingdom in the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, after his former boss quietly left his post in Jakarta and returned home, just as the controversy crept into the public’s consciousness.

Al Qahtani visited the NU headquarters on Thursday for talks with Said in what some observers interpret as extending an olive branch to the organization on behalf of the Saudi government.

In a joint press conference held after their meeting, Said stated that Al Qahtani had been named the “definitive” replacement to Al Syuaiby, whom Riyadh had reportedly recalled following his statement on Twitter calling members of the NU’s youth wing “deviants”.

“He [Al Syuaiby] was recalled and replaced with a genius and skillful diplomat,” the NU chairman said at his office in Jakarta. “He is far [removed] from radicalism and extremism.”

Said further expressed hope that the “young diplomat” could contribute to improving the “companionship of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia”.

It was unclear whether Al Syuaiby was recalled or if his term had simply come to an end, as people familiar with the situation have noted.

The envoy himself kept mum and refused to answer questions related to the controversy, saying only that his visit aimed at strengthening the “bond of brotherhood” among the Muslim faithful in Indonesia.

Officials at the Foreign Ministry and the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta later insisted that Al Qahtani remain the embassy’s chargé d’affaires, and that it was still unclear whether Riyadh would appoint a more permanent replacement. Al Qahtani held the deputy chief of mission post in Jakarta prior to the dispute.

Early last month, a group calling itself the 212 Rally Alumni organized a mass rally at the National Monument in Jakarta to commemorate the second anniversary of the December 2016 demonstration that called for the prosecution of then-Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for blasphemy. Ahok was subsequently convicted and imprisoned.

Hours after the latest rally, Ambassador Al Syuaiby posted photos from the scene that day on his Twitter account, @Os_alshuibi, accompanied by a caption in Arabic that roughly translates to: “The action of millions of Muslims as a reaction to the burning of a flag bearing the tawhid text by a deviant organization.”

The tweet was made in reference to an incident in October, in which members of the NU’s youth wing, Banser, burned a flag that had Arabic text emblazoned on it.

The NU leadership issued a statement calling on Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi to declare Al Syuaiby persona non grata and demanded that Riyadh recall its ambassador, even though they also dismissed those involved with the burning of the flag.

The ministry called Al Syuaiby’s tweet unethical, but was later given reassurances by the kingdom’s top diplomat Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir, who has since been replaced, that it was not an official stance.

At Thursday’s press conference, Said asked that the media no longer bring up the flag incident or Al Syuaiby’s tweet. Said also took the opportunity to ask Saudi Arabia to provide scholarships for NU members. (tjs)

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