Rizieq Creating Crowd, Mahfud MD Reminded Religious Leaders To Give Examples Of The Implementation Of Health Protocols

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (DOK.ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD regretted the crowd in the Petamburan area, Central Jakarta on Saturday night, November 14 last week.

Reflecting on this incident, Mahfud reminded religious and community leaders to provide an example to the community in implementing health protocols to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

"Especially for religious leaders, community leaders are expected to set an example and role model for all citizens to comply with health protocols," Mahfud said in a press conference held at his office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Monday, November 16.

Mahfud emphasized that all people have the right and freedom to express themselves and have activities. However, he asked all parties to recall that Indonesia is a country of law.

In addition, he said, anyone who creates a large crowd who does not implement health protocols in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is tantamount to a potential killer.

"People who deliberately conduct mass crowds without heeding health protocols have the potential to become a potential killer of vulnerable groups," he stressed.

Mahfud asked regional heads to take firm action in the event of a similar case or events that cause crowds amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He conveyed this after the central government listened to complaints and input from various parties struggling to deal with the spread of the virus.

According to the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK), they complained because they felt that their hard work was not appreciated because the state seemed to have neglected the mass gathering.

"Therefore, the government reminds regional heads, public officials, apparatus and society throughout Indonesia that the government will take firm action and take legal action if a large mass gathering occurs," he said.

"The use of individual rights must not interfere with other communities, so it must be carried out in accordance with the rule of law so that the rules of the nation and state can run safely, harmoniously, peacefully and peacefully," Mahfud added.

It is known that the marriage of the daughter of the High Priest of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab, Najwa Shihab, which was held in a series of commemoration events for the Prophet's birthday which was held on Saturday night, November 14, is in the public spotlight. Apart from the fact that this event caused a crowd, recently the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government gave a warning until the sanction that had been paid by Rizieq was IDR 50 million.

Even though there are a number of people, without exception Rizieq Shihab wearing masks and face shields or faceshields, still the crowd generated in this event is of concern to other people. From VOI's monitoring through Front TV, during the event, there was no one meter minimum distance according to the health protocol to prevent COVID-19. Apart from that, the committee also did not provide a marker of which places could be occupied and which were not.

The situation on stage is not much different from the situation below the stage where the congregation sits. The habib and ulama sat close to each other without maintaining a distance and did not appear to be wearing masks even though the committee continued to ask that all present wear masks.

This crowd caused by Rizieq's supporters was not the only time it happened. When he just arrived from Saudi Arabia, his supporters gathered at Soekarno-Hatta Airport and around his house in the Petamburan area to pick him up and have a close look at him. In addition, when he held activities in the West Java area, crowds without heeding the health protocol for preventing COVID-19 also occurred.