FPI Activities Are Prohibited, Hendropriyono: The People Are Relieved To Be Free From Fear

FPI Illustration (Photo: Irfan Meidianto)

JAKARTA - The government's decision to ban all activities of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) was responded to by former Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) AM Hendropriyono. Through his Instagram account, he said the Indonesian people were relieved by the government's decision.

"On December 30, the Indonesian people were relieved to receive a reward in the form of freedom from the fear that has gripped us so far," said Hendropriyono as quoted from his Instagram account @ am.hendropriyono, Thursday, December 31.

He assessed that people can live in peace in the middle of democracy because the activities of these community organizations have been prohibited by the government. This termination, he continued, was carried out because FPI deviated from the nation's ideology, namely Pancasila.

Hendropriyono said that after the government had decided on this ban, it was hoped that there would be no more raids on people who were praying, at weddings, to raids on cafes, drug stores, minimarkets, and food stalls.

"The government has stopped the organized crime under the guise of religion for the sake of upholding the law as well as social discipline," he said.

Furthermore, he did not deny that the FPI, which was founded in 1998, often invites concerns from the public. In fact, this mass organization was almost dissolved by the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia Abdurrachman Wahid or Gus Dur even though it was canceled at that time.

It's just that this dream was only realized after the Joint Decree (SKB) of 3 Ministers together with the National Police, AGO and BNPT made FPI a banned organization. This dissolution also refers to evidence of the involvement of 37 of its members in terrorist activities.

"This means that if there is another organization that accommodates former FPI members, that organization can also be subject to the same sanctions," he said.

Apart from FPI, he said, if there is a person whose words or writing are seditious, by violating Law Number 5 of 2018, he can be subject to sanctions for criminal acts of terrorism. "Any dark side of the person can be lifted to a bright place in the realm of law," he said.

"The life of democracy must be saved by the government by cleaning up its parasites. The parasites of democracy are provocateurs and demagogues, which are included in organized crime," he concluded.