Rizieq Shihab Announces His Return to Indonesia Next Week

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Rizieq Shihab, announced that he will return back to Indonesia from Saudi Arabia on Monday, November 9. He said he will arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday morning, November 10, 2020.

Rizieq claimed he did not have an issue in regards to overstay violations.

“Our bayan safar or exit permit are rejected, but replaced with a visa extension. So, starting now, anyone including Indonesian officials in the country or abroad says I overstay, I will file a lawsuit against them,” said the cleric in a live broadcast of Front TV on Wednesday, November 4.

“Do not carelessly say I overstayed,” said Rizieq.

He said he had pocketed the visa extension since yesterday afternoon. Shortly after that, Rizieq purchased a ticket to return to Indonesia. “Passports and tickets are in hand,” said Rizieq, showing the flight ticket of the Saudi Arabian Airlines.

At the end of October, Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Agus Maftuh, said that based on the immigration portal of the Kingdom, Mohammad Rizieq Syihab’s (MRS) status was still in ‘blinking red’ with the words ta’syirat mutanahiyah (visa expired). In another column, it was written mukhalif (violators of the law) for mutakhallif ziyarah (overstay with a visit visa)

“A blinking red status is a sign that the person cannot be able to leave Saudi Arabia,” said Agus last October.

Tempo was still trying to reach Agus to find out about the latest status updates for Rizieq Shihab on the Saudi Arabia immigration portal.

Also Read: Indonesian Ambassador Criticizes FPI Press Release on Rizieq Shihab

DEWI NURITA