Singapore Court Rules Indonesian Student's Death Was Suicide

JAKARTA LIFE'S STYLE. The father of Indonesian student David Hartanto Widjaja said he was “very sad and disappointed” by the Singapore Coroners’ Court ruling on Wednesday that his son’s death was suicide, adding that he felt the Indonesian government had not done enough to help.

David was found dead at the campus of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in March this year, and his family and supporters believe he may have been murdered. The ruling means that the family’s case will not be heard by a criminal court.

Speaking with the Jakarta Globe on the phone directly after the verdict was delivered, David’s father Hartono Widjaja said he was saddened by the outcome.

“When the judge was about to read the verdict, we walked out of the court because we knew what the verdict was going to be,” Hartono said. “I’m so deeply sad, my tears have gone dry. I cried for help until my voice was gone.”

David’s mentor, Prof. Chan Kap Luk, had accused the student of attempting to stab him with a kitchen knife shortly before he allegedly jumped to his death from the fourth floor of the university building. As a student, David had excelled in science and math and he was part of several international knowledge olympiads. He was attending the university on a scholarship.

The family cannot appeal the court's decision. They maintain that the circumstances surrounding David’s death were suspicious and have said that the government did not do enough to ensure a fair trial.

“Why did the government close their ears and their eyes to us? My son was an Indonesian citizen, he fought for Indonesia in a world competition but his beloved country did not help him,” Hartono said.

“For four months we have been asking and begging the government to help us. We needed their help to speak to the Singaporean government to ask them to give us a fair trial.”

Vice President-elect Boediono met with the family in Singapore on Tuesday, and while Hartono said Boediono was supportive, “he is not in the government yet.”

“He only met us one day before the verdict,” Hartono said. “What can we expect from him?”

Hartono took the opportunity to thank David’s friends and individuals who were sympathetic to the family’s plight.

“Without their generous help, we wouldn’t have been able to hire a lawyer and pay our expenses in Singapore,” he said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda rejected the notion that the government had not helped, saying the family chose to hire its own Indonesian lawyer instead of going through the embassy to secure someone local.

"How the embassy can help the family mainly depends on their being included in the legal process," he said. "We remain committed to supporting and protecting Indonesian citizens."