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Jakarta military commander says he ordered removal of banners depicting Rizieq Shihab
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Crowds wait for the arrival of firebrand cleric and leader of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab at the group's headquarters in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, on Nov. 10, 2020. (Antara/Asprilla Dwi Adha)
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akarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Dudung Abdurachman has revealed that he had ordered his subordinates to take down banners in the city depicting Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab.
A video recently made the rounds on social media showing several people wearing Indonesian Military (TNI) uniforms and taking down banners showing images of the firebrand cleric.
“The officers in uniform who took down the banners acted based on my order," Dudung said on Friday.
The Jakarta Public Order Agency had initially taken down the banners, Dudung said, but FPI supporters later came to reinstall them, prompting the soldiers to remove them.
Indonesia had laws regulating the mechanisms for putting up banners, including stipulations on banner taxation, he said, adding that permits were not secured for the banners.
"This is a country under a rule of law so everyone must abide by the law," Dudung said. "No one can play by their own rules and act as if they are the rightful one."
He said the TNI would continue its operation to take down banners depicting Rizieq, as there should not be banners campaigning for a "revolution" or any other similar rhetoric.
The general warned the cleric and his supporters that he would not hesitate to take a stern approach if they attempted to threaten the country's unity. He also said the FPI and its leader should not think that they "represent the Islamic community".
"It's better for the FPI to be disbanded, if necessary," Dudung said as quoted by kompas.com.
Rizieq has been in the spotlight since his return to Indonesia on Nov. 10, when huge crowds of his supporters welcomed him at both Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, and the FPI headquarters in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, gathering without adhering to the COVID-19 physical distancing rule.
The controversial cleric also drew crowds of thousands when he visited an Islamic boarding school in Puncak in Bogor, West Java, and during the commemoration of Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Maulid) and the wedding of his daughter over the weekend in Tanah Abang, drawing ire from the public.
The Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) ordered Rizieq to pay a Rp 50 million (US$3,536) fine for violating COVID-19 protocols during the events in Jakarta. The police are currently investigating possible violations of health protocols at the events.
Those found violating the law face charges under Article 93 of Law No. 6/2019 on health quarantine.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and other city officials had been summoned for clarification over events at the Jakarta Police headquarters.
The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) and the West Java Police summoned West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil on Friday over similar concerns.
Ridwan arrived at the Bareskrim headquarters in South Jakarta at around 9:35 a.m. on Friday for questioning on alleged health protocol breaches during the FPI event in Bogor last week. (ami)
