Ombudsman Deems Government Negligent About Mass Crowds Rizieq: Think Easy, Shocked At The End

The wedding ceremony for the daughter of Rizieq Shihab as well as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad SAW (screenshot of Front TV's YouTube channel)

JAKARTA - Ombudsman member Ahmad Alamsyah Saragih believes that the government has neglected to anticipate the crowd of sympathizers of the high priest of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab. This incident is said to cause public distrust of the government.

From Alamsyah's assessment, public distrust of state officials and among community groups is high. The impact is that government services do not run optimally.

"In my opinion, he was negligent. This negligence was due to taking him too lightly, so he was shocked at the end. We have to admit that we were surprised to take wrong actions over and over again," said Alamsyah in a virtual discussion, Sunday, November 22.

Alamsyah questioned the reason the government could not identify the crowd to pick up Rizieq at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Banten, from an early age. Even though the information on Rizieq Shihab's return was not something sudden.

"For example, I want to see from the start. I can't identify that there will be a crowd to pick up Habib Rizieq Shihab. Then friends in the Police have an Intelligence (should) be able to see," he said.

According to Alamsyah, when the information on Rizieq Shihab's return should have been received, the government immediately followed up to anticipate a crowd.

"It should be anticipated, but see how many public services are disrupted at the airport ?," he said.

The government's negligence, continued Alamsyah, also had an impact on other things, such as the perception that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) supported Rizieq's child marriage by giving masks. Even though the giving of masks was considered by Alamsyah to be a final step because the committee ignored the government's appeal.

"(The interpretation) is because it underestimates and does not mitigate properly," he said.

The government, said Alamsyah, must be aware of the current public distrust. In the future, the government must make quick and precise policies.

"It is impossible for fellow state administrators not to know how to treat it persuasively," he said.