Coordinating Minister For Political, Legal And Security Affairs Still Called Rizieq Not Reporting The Ban

Rizieq Shihab (Special)

JAKARTA - In the video played during the 212 Grand Reunion, the leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab apologized for being absent from the event. He also said that he was still being banned by the Saudi Arabian government at the request of the Indonesian government. Rizieq also said that he had reported the ban to the Indonesian Embassy.

Rizieq even admitted that he had been visited by the Head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Post at the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, although he did not mention the name of the head of the post.

In response to this, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD said he had contacted the Saudi Arabian Embassy and made a clarification. The result, remains the same. Rizieq never reported the ban on him and his family.

"I have spoken with the embassy. He (Rizieq) never came. He considers this government illegal," Mahfud told reporters at the Kemenkopolhukam Office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Monday, December 2.

The former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) confirmed that a party from the Indonesian Embassy came to Rizieq to ask about the status of the ban. However, there were no reports asking the government to help him and the narrative was deliberately repeated. "He himself never reported it. When was the report, there was no," said Mahfud.

Previously, at the 212 Grand Reunion which was held at the Monas Silang Park, Central Jakarta, on December 2, the committee posted a video of Rizieq explaining about the ban. With a fiery tone, the FPI leader asked the government to put an end to the lies committed against him.

He claimed that the old Saudi Arabian Ambassador had spoken to him and said that the Saudi Arabian Government was actually ready to return him and his family to Indonesia.

"He stated that we Saudis are ready to return Habib Rizieq to Indonesia at any time. However, please ask the attitude of your own government," he said, repeating the Saudi Ambassador's statement.

To the Head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Post at the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rizieq also admitted that he had submitted a photocopy of immigration documents belonging to him and his family. "I have given all that," he said.

It is known, since 26 April 2017, Rizieq left for Saudi Arabia to carry out the Umrah pilgrimage with his family, even though he has not returned to Indonesia. At that time, Rizieq left for Umrah in order to fulfill his vows for the defeat of Basuki Tjahja Purnama (BTP) alias Ahok in the Pilgub DKI Jakarta.