Mahfud MD To Rizieq: If You Feel Healthy, You Shouldn't Object To Being Examined

Rizieq Shihab when he arrived in the Petamburan area after returning from Saudi Arabia (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) said that the High Imam of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab does not need to reject the implementation of the swab test if he feels healthy.

"If you feel healthy, you should not mind," Mahfud said in an online press conference broadcast on the BNPB YouTube account, Sunday, November 29.

Mahfud said that the swab test which was carried out as a contact tracing step actually had benefits because he often attended events that were crowded with his supporters.

"This is for the sake of mutual safety, especially since Rizieq is a figure who is often in the crowd. He could be infected," he said.

Furthermore, Mahfud said that testing, tracing, and treatment or what is commonly called 3T is a step to control the transmission of COVID-19 besides the implementation of 3M, namely using masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands.

This should also be done by anyone, including Rizieq Shihab.

"This is a humanitarian and non-discriminatory action. So that anyone is obliged to support it. The government will take firm steps and actions for anyone who violates provisions that endanger public safety and health," he said.

Previously, Rizieq Shihab was treated at the UMMI Hospital in Bogor, West Java. This was conveyed by the Mayor of Bogor Arya Bima who had contacted the hospital. According to the management of the UMMI Hospital, Bogor, Rizieq has been treated since Wednesday, November 25 due to fatigue.

At that time, Arya said, Rizieq had not done a swab test to detect COVID-19 in his body because he felt no symptoms even though he also asked not to be visited because he wanted to rest to the maximum.

Later, Arya revealed that Rizieq refused to undergo a swab test to detect whether he was exposed to COVID-19 or not.

"I received a report from the Health Service Team who came to the UMMI Hospital this afternoon to discuss the swab test with Habib Rizieq," he said as quoted by Antara, Friday, November 27.

Furthermore, it was rumored that Rizieq had fled from the Bogor UMMI Hospital on Saturday, November 28 evening.

West Java Police Public Relations Head Commissioner Erdi A. Chaniago confirmed that Rizieq had indeed left the house and left the UMMI Hospital at around 21.00 WIB on Saturday, November 28.

"This is being investigated by the Bogor Police. The information is like that, that the patient at Ummi Hospital (Rizieq Shihab, red) at 21.00 WIB, Saturday night, November 28, was out," Chaniago told reporters, Sunday, November 29.

He said it was suspected that Rizieq had walked out of the back door of the hospital. Rizieq's departure, which was allegedly carried out in secret, was also unknown to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

FPI lawyer Azis Yanuar assessed that Rizieq is in good health and has been allowed to return to his house in the Petamburan area.

"Habib Rizieq Shihab (currently, red) has returned home," he added.

He also claimed that the FPI frontman did not experience any pain, even though some reports said he was sick and had to be treated at the UMMI Hospital, Bogor, West Java. Rizieq, he continued, was in the hospital just to rest.

"Alhamdulillah, (Rizieq's condition, red) from the beginning of this polemic is in good health. Just resting," he said.