Medan Sub-District Head Apologises After 'Cie Curhat' Remark to Resident

The head of Paya Pasir sub-district, Syerly, has apologised after a video of her responding to a resident’s complaint about public street lighting (LPJU) to Medan Mayor Rico Waas went viral. Syerly claimed the incident was spontaneous due to her close relationship with the resident.

‘I apologise to the public because it was purely spontaneous. Because I feel close and often joke with Ibu Ulfa, and vice versa, so the words just came out,’ Syerly said, as quoted by detikSumut on Wednesday.

Syerly said her remark in the video was purely because she already knew the resident who was voicing the complaint. According to Syerly, her words were not intended to mock the resident.

‘I have known Ulfa for a long time, and we are even related. We see and greet each other every day. Even when the Mayor was coming, she asked me, “Ma’am, what time is the Mayor arriving?” “Soon, he’s on his way,” before the Mayor arrived,’ she explained.

According to Syerly, regarding the residents’ complaints about street lighting, her office had already conveyed the issue to the Medan City Transportation Agency (Dishub) since last year. Syerly confirmed she had been summoned by the Medan City Inspectorate to provide clarification regarding her response to her resident’s aspirations. ‘It is true that I was summoned by the Inspectorate yesterday, but regarding the details, I think that is internal and the Inspectorate has the authority to explain,’ she concluded.