"Burning the flag of our party, PDI-P, is unacceptable behavior because for us, burning the flag is an insult to the party," East Jakarta PDIP Deputy Chairman Pilian PH stated here on Thursday.
Pilian failed to understand the rationale and logic behind demonstrators on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, burning the flag of PDIP.
The PDIP also urged the police to investigate the motive behind the flag burning incident.
"Burning the PDIP flag is certainly an indecent act. We, as the party's cadres, are furious about it. However, since we abide by the law, we urge the East Jakarta Police to coordinate with the Jakarta Police to arrest perpetrators and their accomplices," he emphasized.
The East Jakarta chapter of PDIP was scheduled to march to the East Jakarta Police at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday to demand the arrest of the flag arsonists.
According to Pilian, some 500 cadres of the PDIP would partake in the march to the police office by applying health protocols in the form of wearing masks and maintaining safe minimum distance between one another to safeguard against the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, several Muslims organizations protested in front of the Parliament (DPR) Building against the controversial Bill on the Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (HIP) supported by the PDIP.
During the rally, many protesters also set ablaze several flags, including the communist flag and PDIP flag.
Earlier, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) had issued a statement to reject the draft bill and urged Muslims to support the stance against the bill.
They rejected the draft bill for not including the Temporary People’s Consultative Assembly Decree (TAP MPR) No. 25 of 1966 on banning communism in Indonesia.
The DPR and the government had hinted at postponing deliberation on the bill, but the protesters demanded its cancellation. Related news: President warns ministers to carefully deliver public statements
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Translator: Boyke LW, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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