TEMPO.CO, Pamekasan - Presidential candidate number 02 Prabowo Subianto pledged to pick up the leader of Islamic Defender Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab should he win the 2019 election. According to Prabowo, Rizieq had been defamed and persecuted by a certain party against him.

Prabowo made the statement Tuesday, February 26, during his meeting with the head of Mamba’ul Ulum Islamic boarding school (Ponpes), Raden Kiai Haji Mohammad Tohir Zain, and ulema as well as people and students in Pamekasan, Madura, East Java.

“During the second Ijtima Ulema, I have said that if I win [the election], I will return Habib Rizieq Shihab. I will deploy my private jet to pick him up. He’s been slandered and victimized,” said Prabowo as noted in a press release today, February 27.

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Rizieq is currently living in Saudi Arabia, leaving the country after being named as a suspect in several legal cases.

The patron chief of Gerindra Party asserted that he would defend and free figures and mothers who were detained due to persecution acts carried out by a certain party.

“We will defend all ulema who are persecuted, we will release them, as well as mothers who are detained,” Prabowo remarked.

Prabowo claimed that his visit to Mamba’ul Ulum boarding school was not a campaign tour but aimed at asking for prayers so his efforts in upholding justice and generating prosper for Indonesian people could be actualized.

RYAN DWIKY ANGGRIAWAN