Tanjungpinang – Rempang Island residents cannot forgive President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. This was in response to Widodo's state of the nation address at the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Friday August 16.
During his address, Widodo conveyed an apology for the mistakes he has made while serving as the president of the Republic of Indonesia. According to Widodo, he had tried to give his best, even though it could not please all parties.
However residents of Sembulang Village in Galang District, Batam City, Riau Islands, believe that Widodo's apology was not enough, even if it is conveyed a thousand times.
They say that Widodo has made Rempang residents suffer. Their families have been divided and they have been evicted from their villages to make way for the Rempang Eco City National Strategic Project (PSN).
"Sorry isn't enough, he and his cronies must be destroyed like our broken hearts, our divided families, our villages that they attack and all the forms of intimidation. A thousand words of apology would not be enough", Sembulang Pasir Merah Village resident Marsita told CNN Indonesia on Friday.
Marsita said Rempang residents do not feel independent on the 79th Anniversary of the Indonesia's independence. Because according to Marsita, their villages have been colonised and seized by the government for the sake of the Rempang Eco City project.
Marsita said when Widodo and his ministers celebrate Independence Day in the new capital city of Nusantara (IKN) on August 17, the residents of Rempang Island will still be struggling to defend their ancestral villages from Widodo and his accomplices.
"We're not independent yet, they like to celebrate in the capital city of Nusantara, but the residents are struggling for their birthplaces", they said.
Another Rempang resident, Nia, expressed as similar opinion. Widodo's apology is unacceptable. She believes that Widodo has failed to lead the country. Nia does not believe all the things Widodo says, including his promises.
According to Nia, Rempang residents have been persecuted by the Eco City project. The government is not thinking about local residents who lived there for generations and years before the project started.
She suggested that Widodo repent immediately because while he has led the country many people have been hurt.
"From the beginning Jokowi had failed in leading the country. Everything that Jokowi said was untrue including his promises, all of it was a lie and I personally will never forgive Jokowi including his cawe-cawe [meddling in the elections] or his accomplices", Nia said in an annoyed tone when contacted on Friday evening.
Both Marsita and Nia claim that they are not eager to celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day this year. They are questioning what there is to celebrate on Independence Day when their land has been stolen by the government for the sake of Eco City project.
The Rempang residents had even wanted to fly the Indonesian national flag at half-mast on August 17, but they resisted the idea for the sake of maintaining the unity and integrity of the nation.
In his final speech as president at the annual MPR session Widodo apologised several times.
"Myself and Prof. Dr. (H.C.) K.H. Ma'ruf Amin [the vice president] apologise. Apologise for every heart that might be disappointed, for every hope that may not yet be realised, for every ideal that may not have been achieved. We apologize", said Widodo on Friday.
Widodo said that the task of being president and vice president was a heavy one. He realised this since the first day of taking up this position. Even so, he did not give up. Widodo realised he was not alone in facing the various challenges. He believes the ordinary people were always there to support and pray for him.
"The smiles, greetings, and prayers of the fathers, mothers, and brothers across the nation, across the homeland are my source of strength", he said. (arp/pmg)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was " Warga Rempang Tak Bisa Maafkan Jokowi: Kami Belum Merdeka".]
