Prabowo Urged to Return Rizieq Shihab Home

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several figures supporting Prabowo Subianto in the 2019 presidential election urged the Gerindra party chair to return the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab. The request was conveyed after the meeting of party figures in Yogyakarta, Wednesday, July 31.

The meeting was attended by more than 30 activists, including campaigner of Prabowo - Sandi, Lieus Sungkharisma; politician of Central Java PPP, Mudrik Sangidu; advisory chairman of PBB Party, MS Kaban, and politician of Yogyakarta PPP Syukri Fadholi.

“This silaturahmi (communal gathering) is held as a response to Jokowi - Prabowo meeting in MRT Senayan Station that followed by the meeting of Megawati and Prabowo called fried rice diplomacy,” said Mudrik.

According to Mudrik, Prabowo should consider ways to pick up Rizieq that he deemed Prabowo’s moral obligation.

Rizieq was reportedly still living in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In 2017, he performed umrah pilgrimage amid the emergence of pornography case that incriminated him. He did not come back to Indonesia, albeit the police dropped the case in June 2018. Previously, Prabowo pledged to return Rizieq if he wins the 2019 election.

Many figures presented in the meeting demanded Prabowo fulfill the promise even though the latter failed in the election race. “The government seems to play a foul, so Habib Rizieq cannot go home because they are afraid of Rizieq and FPI. What they have done wrong?” said Mudrik.

Lieus Sungkharisma seconded Mudrik’s statement. He said that elites of Prabowo campaign team, as well as the government, are obliged to return Rizieq to Indonesia.

Lieus doubted that Rizieq Shihab’s return was hampered as he must pay the overstay fine to Saudi Arabia due to an expired visa. “His return is not about money, but politics,” he said.

PRIBADI WICAKSONO