Anies Baswedan Linked With Farid Okbah Arrested By Densus 88, Observer: Speculative And Dangerous Conclusion

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan/DOC VOI-Diah Ayu

JAKARTA - Circulating on social media (medsos), Ustaz Farid Okbah met with the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan a few days before being arrested by the National Police Anti-terror Detachment 88. Later, Anies Baswedan was rumored to have a close relationship with Farid Okbah who was arrested by Densus 88 along with a central MUI administrator.

In this regard, political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, Jamiluddin Ritonga, considers the conclusion that the closeness between Anies and Farid is very speculative and dangerous. Jamiluddin assumes, if someone reads Stalin, then that person might be judged as someone close to Stalin and adherents of communist ideology.

"The assessment was based on the circulation of photos of Anies reading a book by Farid Okbah. From this, some parties concluded that Anies had a close relationship with Farif Okbah. Such a conclusion is highly speculative and very dangerous," said Jamiluddin, Sunday, November 21.

Jamiluddin explained that this kind of logic often occurs in Indonesia. The Rp buzzers use this perverted logic to blaspheme and judge people they don't like.

"So, although the issue is not yet clear, for Anies' political opponents, the issue is enough to be used as a hot bullet to corner the Jakarta Governor. This is what Anies often experiences," he said.

It seems, Jamiluddin continued, that this was the reason for the emergence of the DKI Jakarta MUI plan to form a Cyber Army to defend Anies from buzzers. MUI DKI Jakarta, according to him, can't wait to see the behavior of the buzzer who uses abnormal thinking logic.

However, Jamiluddin considered it inappropriate for MUI to have such a plan. Because, he said, the functions and duties of the MUI were not related to a special defense against someone, especially Anies.

"The DKI Jakarta MUI was not formed to defend Anies. So, the DKI Jakarta MUI plan to form a Cyber Army to defend Anies from buzzers should be abandoned," he explained.

"But if the MUI Cyber Army was formed to fight lies and slander, it seems still relevant. Because all religions certainly do not allow lying and slander. These things must indeed be resisted," continued Jamiluddin.

Previously, Farid's lawyer, Ismar Syafruddin, revealed that Farid and Anies met when Farid's father-in-law died.

"At that time, Ustaz Farid's father-in-law died, apparently Mr. AB (Anies Baswedan) and his mother were also present at the place," Ismar said when contacted, Saturday, November 20.

Ismar said Ustaz Farid's father-in-law died on Saturday, November 13. Then, on Tuesday, November 16, Ustaz Farid was arrested by the Densus 88 team.

"Indeed, he died about a week ago, around Saturday if I'm not mistaken. Then Tuesday he was arrested," he said.

Ismar explained that Anies visited the funeral home near the Jatiasih District office, Bekasi. He reiterated that Farid did not deserve to be called a terrorist because he had met a number of high-ranking officials, from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to Suharto.

"So how was his meeting with Jokowi? His meeting with RK (Ridwan Kamil), President Suharto, Hamzah Has his vice president Mrs. Mega?