TEMPO.CO, Jakarta- Islamic Students Association’s (HMI) central board apologized to the government and Riau citizens for the riot during HMI’s 29th congress held in Pekanbaru on November 22-26.
“As the chairman of HMI’s central board, I apologize to the people and the government of Riau, people of Indonesia and fellow Muslims for what happened at the congress,” said HMI’s central board chairman Muhammad Arief Mursyid on Tuesday.
The 29th HMI Congress is the organization’s largest and top event. However, HMI was disgraced by the incidents occurred during the congress in the last few days. Muhammad said the riot was out of his control, but he appreciated the presence of HMI supporters during the event.
He said the losses caused by those supporters will be accounted for through the proper mechanism. “It is our hope that all parties, especially the cadres, to refrain themselves and save the face of HMI,” said Muhammad.
Previously, the the Riau government-funded congress faced several problems. In Riau, a day before the congress, an entourage of 21 buses reportedly did not pay the food in a restaurant in Rengat, Indragiri Hulu Regency.
On the arrival of a thousand of HMI cadres that were mostly from eastern HMI in Pekanbaru; they blocked Sudirman Street in front of GOR Remaja which was the location of the congress on Saturday.
On Sunday, police cars were ransacked and in the evening, a fight that caused a local committee member to be shot with a chopstick arrow occured. On Monday, the police arrested eight suspects and confiscated machetes, daggers and firearms.
ANTARA
