The Response Of The National Police Chief When Investigators Are Intercepted At Rizieq's House: We Brush All, The State Must Not Lose

National Police Chief General Idham Azis (Photo: Indonesian Police Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The National Police Chief, General Idham Azis, emphasized that the state must not be inferior to community organizations (mass organizations) that use thuggery methods to obstruct the law enforcement process in Indonesia.

This was conveyed by Idham in connection with efforts to block the police by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) when delivering a summons to Habib Rizieq Shihab in Petamburan, Central Jakarta.

"The state must not be inferior to mass organizations that carry out thuggery actions. We will brush all of them. Indonesia is a rule of law. All elements must be able to maintain public order and security," said Idham in his statement, Thursday, December 3.

The four-star general asked all stakeholders or even mass organizations to comply with the legal umbrella in force in Indonesia.

According to him, the criminal threat is clearly regulated for parties who try to obstruct the law enforcement process in Indonesia.

"There are criminal sanctions for those who try to obstruct officers from carrying out the law enforcement process," said Idham.

On the other hand, Idham ensured, the National Police would thoroughly investigate cases of suspected violations of health quarantine, namely in this case the alleged violation of the health protocol (prokes) at several events attended by Rizieq.

"The National Police always prioritizes the principle of Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto or People's Safety is the Highest Law," said the former head of the Police Criminal Investigation Unit.

Previous news, the National Police was conducting an investigation into the alleged violation of health protocols at the Rizieq event as stated in Article 93 of Law Number 6 of 2018 concerning Health Quarantine which reads: Everyone who does not comply with the implementation of Health Quarantine as referred to in Article 9 paragraph (1) and / or obstructs - obstruction of the implementation of Health Quarantine, thereby causing a Public Health Emergency to be punished with imprisonment of up to 1 (one) year and / or a maximum fine of Rp 100,000,000.00 (one hundred million rupiah).

Meanwhile Article 216 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code states, Whoever deliberately does not comply with orders or requests made according to law by an official whose job is to supervise something, or by an official based on his duties, as well as those who are given the power to investigate or examine a criminal act; Likewise, anyone who deliberately prevents, obstructs or thwarts actions to enforce the provisions of the law by one of these officials, shall be punished by a maximum imprisonment of four months and two weeks or a maximum fine of Rp. 9,000.

As it is known, Article 160 of the Criminal Code itself states that 'Any person who in public orally or in writing incites a criminal act, commits violence against a public authority or does not comply with either the provisions of the law or a position order given based on the provisions of the law, is threatened with a maximum imprisonment of six years or a maximum fine of Rp.4,500.