FPI Leader Must Be Held Responsible for Assault on PDI-P Official: PDI-P Secretary General
Jakarta. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto has condemned Friday's (06/01) assault on a party official and claimed the perpetrators derived from the Islamic Defenders' Front.
Widodo of the party's Petamburan branch was attacked by a group of people after Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat's impromptu visit to Petamburan area in West Jakarta.
Hasto said Indonesia is a sate of law, where violence and vigilantism must not be accepted.
"Violence destroys our culture, especially when it happens during elections. This assault has harmed our democracy and religious teachings," he said on Saturday.
According to Hasto, verbal and physical abuse has been a new trend that might destroy the Indonesian values of peace and tolerance .
"These symptoms are worrying," he said.
Hasto added that Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab must be held responsible for his followers' actions and a legal process against him should start immediately.
Also the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the General Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) should not remain silent, he said.
He requested PDI-P members not to seek retaliation and let the police handle the case.
"We trust in the legal process, we do not want to answer violence with violence. Show them that we are civilized and law-abiding citizens."
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