Dudung Responds to Habib Rizieq's Mention of 'Banner General'

Head of the Presidential Staff Office Dudung Abdurachman has spoken out regarding Habib Rizieq Shihab’s statement that alluded to the ‘Banner General’ whispering to President Prabowo Subianto about the remark ‘fleeing to Yemen’. Dudung dismissed the notion that he was influencing Prabowo.

Initially, Dudung emphasised that he personally no longer has any issues with Habib Rizieq. He explained that the previous removal of banners was related to the status of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) organisation, which had been dissolved by the government at that time.

“Oh, the President mentioned fleeing to Yemen because there’s the Banner General behind it, right? Well, in my opinion, between me and Habib Rizieq, there’s actually no problem anymore,” Dudung said at the Bina Graha Office, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

“Because actually, when I removed the banners back then, it was because FPI was indeed an organisation that had been dissolved in 2019,” he continued.

At that time, Dudung served as Commander of the Jakarta Military Region (Pangdam Jaya). According to Dudung, the resurgence of FPI’s influence at that time was triggered by the ‘moral revolution’ narrative, which was deemed potentially disruptive to national unity and integrity.

“Well, what strengthened it, in my view, was the calls for a moral revolution, which then from the narratives conveyed, inviting and developing activities that, in my opinion, indeed disrupted national unity and integrity,” he stated.

He noted that the enforcement actions at the time had been coordinated. “And the one who dissolved it was the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs. If you recall my words at Monas, ‘If necessary, dissolve FPI’. And it was indeed dissolved. It had actually already been frozen,” Dudung added.

Regarding Habib Rizieq’s statement linking him to certain political narratives after taking office as Head of the Presidential Staff, Dudung refuted it. He stressed that he never whispered anything to Prabowo.

“Well, now it’s buzzing as if after I became KSP, that’s when the narrative from Mr President emerged. No, it’s not from me,” he said.

He also invited all parties, including Habib Rizieq, to jointly maintain calm amid the global crisis. Dudung reminded of the importance of preserving national unity and not being provoked by issues that could divide.

“But that means, in my opinion, Mr Rizieq, well, we’re both old now. Come on, let’s build this nation with composure, without provoking,” he said.

He stated that, as a religious scholar, Habib Rizieq should calm things down, not the opposite. “I see his language has never changed, the old language is the same as now. If said to be a scholar, a scholar is one who always calms, yes,” he continued.

Dudung invited Habib Rizieq to think clearly. He also reminded the importance of not making assumptions.

“Think clearly, his eyes never belittle others, his mouth doesn’t badmouth others, his heart also doesn’t harbour bad assumptions about others, and his hands are not dirtied with bad things. That’s why guard your eyes, guard your heart, and guard your mouth,” he added.

Habib Rizieq’s Statement

As for Habib Rizieq’s statement, it began when he responded to Prabowo’s remarks. He suspected that Prabowo was influenced by certain parties who are now his aides and advisors in the government. In fact, according to him, Prabowo never mentioned such things during his leadership.

“What caused that? Having bad friends, brother. For a year and a half, our president never said that, why today does he say that?” Rizieq said in a video broadcast on the OfficialIslamicBrotherhoodTV YouTube account.

Rizieq highlighted Prabowo’s previous meeting with someone he called the ‘minister of all affairs’ in the previous president’s era.

“Back then, the one who said that wasn’t the president, there was a minister of all affairs, you know? Called again, met, chatted, what’s up? It’s contagious, brother,” Rizieq said.

Rizieq felt that Prabowo’s statement was not unrelated to his meeting with a figure he called the ‘minister of all affairs’.

“If back then there was a minister of all affairs saying to expel to foreign countries if you want to protest. Our president asks for advice, suddenly he speaks the same, go abroad,” Rizieq said.

Rizieq spotlighted the term Yemen used by Prabowo in line with previous statements. According to Rizieq, Prabowo uttered the word Yemen because he was influenced by someone he called the ‘Banner General’.

“Now there’s an addition to go to Yemen. Where did this Yemen word come from, brother?” Rizieq said.

“Eh, turns out there’s another cause, there’s the Banner General who hasn’t been used for a long time, brother, was parked, eh suddenly yesterday called to the Palace, appointed as presidential advisor for national defence, inaugurated again, brother,” Rizieq said.

Habib Rizieq questioned the reason Prabowo appointed the figure he called the ‘Banner General’ as an advisor. Rizieq also revealed allegations of the Banner General’s involvement in the Km 50 case.

“This Banner General, brother, is strongly suspected with evidence we have, indications we’ve gathered, brother. One, directly or indirectly involved in the Km 50 tragedy. At least he joined the press conference full of lies with the Metro Jaya Police Chief at that time with fake evidence, fake pistol, fake bullets, brother, everything fake,” Rizieq stated.

“This person has issues with Km 50, with inciting fellow citizens, with insulting the habaib. Brother, why appointed as presidential advisor? No wonder the president says go there to Yemen because this Banner General indeed hates Yemen,” he continued.