Defense Observer Criticism Of Army Chief Of Staff General Dudung Abdurachman

JAKARTA - Intelligence and Defense Observer Ridlwan Habib highlighted the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman who spoke openly at an event about radicalism and extremism. Where Dudung's statement sparked controversy in the public, there were even netizens who sneered because he seemed to be the head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT).

Initially, Ridlwan highlighted that there was no authority that could define the meaning of radical or that a group and individual were said to be radical. Because, he continued, radicals are not regulated in Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism (Anti-Terrorism Law).

"Because to this day, there has not been a single authority protected by law that can say, you are radical, you can't be a civil servant, ASN, member of the DPR because you are radical. To this day I have not found a single article in our legislation that defines what radicalism is? No, not yet," said Ridlwan at the DPR Building, Monday, December 6.

Dudung was highlighted for admitting to removing the billboards of frontman of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Habib Rizieq Shihab which he thought was provocative.

"When there was a general whose name was Dudung, the army chief of staff spoke bluntly at an event, netizens attacked him, what was his name yesterday, the Army Chief of Staff felt "mat", the Army Chief of Staff was timid, netizens attacked him, as if the Army Chief of Staff was the head of the BNPT," he continued.

According to him, that is not the main task of the Army Chief of Staff. Because, the main thing is building the strength of the army. In addition, the Army Chief of Staff was not in charge of handling billboards, but because this process was not running, and no one was in charge of the labeling of radicalism, it was Dudung who dared to take responsibility.

"No one takes care of it, everyone is afraid, so Dudung takes responsibility, but do we have to wait for the next Dudung-Dudung again in Indonesia's future, it shouldn't be," said Ridlwan.

Ridlwan admitted that he had discussions with the Head of BNPT Boy Rafli Amar. In the discussion, he said, Boy said that the definition of radicalism and terrorism is not the business of BNPT, because it is counter-terrorism.

In fact, he added, BNPT can conduct socialization, make recitations, or lectures related to deradicalization.

"But he (BNPT) has no authority to classify your people as radical, you violate Article 9 of this law. You can't be a civil servant, you can't. So the result is that now they are afraid, ASN-ASN are afraid "maybe if I open YouTube with Islamic themes, the inspectorate will see that they don't get promoted," he explained.

Previously, Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman admitted that his blood boiled when he saw hundreds of billboards and Habib Rizieq Shihab (HRS) banners scattered in a number of areas in Jakarta. Moreover, the sentence in the banner contains an invitation to carry out jihad.

In fact, said Dudung, there were some people who performed strange acts by worshiping the billboards.

“Yesterday when I entered the Jaya Regional Military Command, there were billboards lying around, the tones called for jihad, a moral revolution, there were billboards being worshipped. I learned what this is," said Dudung on the Deddy Corbuzier Podcast, Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

Dudung admitted that his blood was boiling when he received a report that the North Jakarta Satpol PP Office was visited by FPI masses for removing the banner. The mob then forced the Satpol PP officers to put back the billboards and banners that were taken down at around 23.00 western Indonesia time.

"It's chubby. Wow, so (boiled blood-red) who are they. Pol PP officers are afraid of being approached with machetes, so we can't stand still," said Dudung.

Dudung, who at that time served as Pangdam Jaya, then studied previous videos about what Habib Rizieq had done so far. After learning everything, Dudung's anger became more and more unstoppable when he learned that there was an element of contempt for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"I saw that, how dare he (HRS-ed) say our leaders, our president with words that are not good as citizens. Changing the name of our president is not correct. My blood boils like that, it's hot already," he said.