TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 212 alumni presidium advisory council chairman Amien Rais urged President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to stop on what he claims the attempts to criminalize ulemas (Muslim scholar), such as the pornography criminal case entangling Rizieq Shihab.

Amien asked President Jokowi to instruct the police to drop the Rizieq Shihab case. “So Jokowi, I tell you to be careful. You are the headman of this country, tell law enforcers to not be arrogant, don’t get carried away, because we are also the lawful owners of this country. This country is for all of us, don’t try me,” he said Tuesday, February 20.

Read: Amien-Rais Doubts Jokowi's Nationalism

Amien Rais maintains that the criminal cases of Rizieq are mere accusations. He claims that the government should focus on solving bigger problems such as the prostitution business at the Alexis Hotel in North Jakarta.

He claims that the Muslim community has always been a peace-loving group of people and often concede but the government pays that back by siding against the Ulemas.

Read: Wiranto Hesitant to Comment on Rizieq Syihab in Meeting with TNI

“I ask that the regime of rulers beware. The Muslim community has never caused problems, but if our Ulemas are looked down upon just to vilify the great imam (Rizieq Shihab). Then beware,” said Amien Rais.

Rizieq Shihab is currently entangled in a criminal case sparked by his alleged pornographic Whatsapp chat with Firza Husein. Jakarta Metro Police named the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader as a suspect on May 29, 2017.

Zara Amelia