REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chairman of the Information and Communication of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI), Masduki Baidlowi, asked the authority to minimize the issue related to the criminalization of ulema.

He thought it could harm not only certain party but also would be dangerous for many people.

"The issue could provoke the turmoil in the community," he explained.

Masduki said if Habib Rizieq Shihab really has violated the law, he hoped the case to be processed according to the procedure. He questioned the purpose of police's plan to pick-up Habib Rizieq. He said pick-up by force is another form of criminalization.

"The police must process the case in accordance with the law. Do not brake any rule as feared by the community," he said in a statement made available to Republika.co.id on Friday.

Also read: Firza denies for having steamy chat with Habib Rizieq

On the other hand, Masduki urged the community to be calm in thinking and action. "Do not cause splits or other unexpected things," he said.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Metro Police Chief M Iriawan has considered the option to revoke Habib Rizieq's passport as the grand imam of the Islamic Defenders Front has been neglecting twice of the summons. "Yes, it is one of the options," he said on Friday.

Habib Rizieq is currently at Mecca, Saudi Arabia for umrah. 

Revoking the suspect passport has become an option as the Interpol has denied the request to issue red notice against Habib Rizieq. Interpol said red notice is not appropriate to be given to such case.

On May 29, 2017, Habib Rizieq was officially named as a suspect in the pornographic case after screenshots of sexually explicit WhatsApp chats that allegedly happened between Habib Rizieq and a treason suspect Firza Husein went viral.

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