TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (Mer-C) Chairman Sarbini Abdul Murad refused to comment on the circulating photo on social media that showed the result of the swab test taken by Rizieq Shihab.

“Mer-C has no capacity to comment on the current circulating swab test result,” said Sarbini to Tempo on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

The circulating photo declared that based on the swab test on Nov. 27, 2020, the FPI leader was positive for Covid-19.

Sarbini confirmed that his side carried out a swab test on Rizieq and the result had come back and submitted to the family on Sunday, Nov. 29. “That is the capacity of the family to explain it (the result),” he said.

In the letter of the test result with a laboratory registration number 801127175, Rizieq underwent Sars-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Test (RT-PCR) on Friday, Nov. 27, and the result was issued on Saturday, Nov. 28.

Tempo recorded that Rizieq was still under treatment at Ummi Hospital in Bogor, West Java, on Friday, Nov. 27, where Mer-C conducted the swab test. Yet on Saturday night, Rizieq left the hospital as he felt better.

Slamet Ma’arif, the chairman of the Alumni Brotherhood 212 (PA 212), denied the circulating photo. “That's a hoax,” Slamet confirmed to Tempo on Wednesday, Dec. 2. He ensured that Rizieq Shihab is in good health yet stopped short of detailing the details.

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M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH