PDIP Politician Convinced Professional Police Handled Rizieq Shihab's Case

Member of Commission III DPR Arteria Dahlan. (Anita Permata Dewi / Antara)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) Arteria Dahlan believes that the police will work professionally in following up criminal reports with suspected High Imam of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Habib Rizieq Shihab.

"For the cases at hand, the police are considered to have better knowledge of whether to proceed or not," said Arteria in Jakarta, as reported by Antara, Thursday, November 12.

The PDIP politician continued, "If the legal problem is Habib Rizieq's business with law enforcement officials. Now, this is the state of Indonesia as a state of law. So, we just have to look there."

Arteria explained that the police acted on the existing evidence so that there should no longer be any parties accompanying the DPR's opinion and the government to intervene in Rizieq Shihab's legal case.

"Of course, neither we nor President Jokowi can intervene in law enforcement nor Habib Rizieq's legal status. Please ask law enforcement officials," he said.

In addition, he said that the police were moving on the existing evidence so that it should not be perceived that the police were deliberately criminalizing the high priest of the FPI.

"What is important is that the police in upholding the law always put forward the law and believe me the police are currently promoting the law. There is no such thing as the criminalization or politicization of law enforcement. All of this is well monitored," he said.

Arteria said that Commission III of the House of Representatives always supervises the Police in their actions so that it is impossible for the police to criminalize the case of Rizieq Shihab.

"We, in Commission III, have nine fractions and have their own views and perspectives. Certainly it makes police work more careful. Trust me, the Police are serious about working," he said.

Previously, Rizieq Shihab was reported to the West Java Regional Police on suspicion of insulting Sundanese culture on November 24, 2015. He misused the Sundanese greeting 'Sampurasun' as 'Mixing Poison'.

Rizieq was also reported to the West Java Regional Police for alleged insults against Pancasila. Rizieq was reported by Sukmawati Soekarnoputri in October 2016 and was discontinued in May 2018.

Furthermore, Rizieq Shihab has a legal document at Polda Metro Jaya about insulting Christianity in a lecture in East Jakarta. The report was recorded at Polda Metro Jaya on December 27, 2016.

Rizieq Shihab was also reported on the case of religious insult that was reported by the Interfaith Youth Student Forum to the Polda Metro Jaya on December 30, 2016.