NTT Earthquake Victim Apologizes for Trampling Food Aid, Cites Insufficient Support

A video of an earthquake victim trampling on food aid at the Nanga Lok distribution post in Golo Lijun Village, Elar District, Manggarai Timur, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has gone viral, prompting an apology from the individual involved. The man, identified as Saimin Sadang Syawal, explained his actions in a subsequent apology video. In his statement, Saimin said, "I, Saimin Sadang Syawal, wish to apologize to the public, more specifically to the Manggarai Timur Regional Government, for what happened a few minutes ago." He described his act of trampling on the food, including noodles and biscuits, as a "lapse in judgment" driven by disappointment. "This was a form of our disappointment, my disappointment as a member of the community after the earthquake, because the aid was very insufficient for our needs following the earthquake," Saimin explained. Saimin announced that he was retracting his statements from the viral video, which had been shared via WhatsApp and Facebook. "Then I retract what I have said from yesterday until today, which went viral through my WhatsApp status or Facebook to the people of Manggarai Timur, especially to the Regional Government that watched my video," he stated. "On behalf of the community, on behalf of myself, I apologize again most sincerely for the mistake I made. Perhaps that is all I need to say," Saimin concluded. The head of Golo Lijun Village, Yovita Mbaju, confirmed Saimin's apology video. She mentioned that further handling of Saimin's actions has been taken over by the police. "Yes, this is the person," Yovita said. "The Kapolsek (Police Chief) and his members came yesterday to meet the viral individual (Saimin). However, I don't know about the further process." Saimin's act of trampling the earthquake victim aid occurred on Monday (7/9). The video shows noodles scattered on the ground, with his foot crushing them. The video has elicited various reactions from netizens. A person who allegedly recorded the incident stated that the food aid received by residents from the Manggarai Timur Regional Government consisted of only three packs of noodles and one pack of biscuits. It was mentioned that affected residents in the area had only received food aid from the government twice since the earthquake struck on August 15. Source: Detik