Yogyakarta governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X has asked the people of Yogyakarta to forgive Gadjah Mada University (UGM) student Florence Sihombing for her social media rants that insulted the city’s residents. “Florence has made her apologies and my obligation is to forgive her. I hope that the people of Yogyakarta could also forgive her, no more hurt feelings,” the governor said after receiving Florence at the Wilis building of the Kepatihan complex in Yogyakarta on Thursday. During the twenty-minute meeting, Florence was accompanied by the dean of UGM law school, Paripurna Sugarda, and deputy rector Budi Santoso Wignyosukanto. Florence is a law graduate student at the university who was reported by several community groups in Yogyakarta for her derogatory comments on the social media outlet Path, in which she called the city “poor, idiotic and uncivilized” after attempting to cut in line at a gas station in August. Due to her comments, she was accused of violating Law no. 11/2008 on information and electronic transactions, as well as Article 310 and Article 311 of the Criminal Code on defamation. She was arrested by the police on Saturday, Aug. 30, but was released Tuesday. “My hopes are that Florence will continue to stay in Yogyakarta to finish her studies and try and get on with her surroundings,” Hamengkubuwo added. Florence praised the governor’s meaningful gesture and said that she would stay and finish her studies at UGM. “I have learned my lesson here, to respect others,” she said. Meanwhile, Paripurna expected the sultan, who is also governor, to ask those who reported Florence to the police to retract their reports. (dyl)
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 10:08:38 +0000
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