Salundik Gohong

Salundik Gohong (8 August 1946 – 23 February 2023) was an Indonesian military officer and politician who served as the mayor of Palangka Raya from 1998 until 2003 and as an MP in the Central Kalimantan Regional People's Representative Council from 2004 until 2007.

Early life Gohong was born on 8 August 1946 in Bawan, a small village in the Pulang Pisau Regency, as the son of Hermen Gohong and Fransinae. He began his education at a people's school (equivalent to primary school) in the nearby regency of Kapuas. He finished people's school in 1958 and continued studying at a junior high school in Kuala Kurun, Gunung Mas Regency, which he completed in 1962. From there, Salundik moved to Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, and finished his high school there in 1966.

Upon obtaining his high school diploma, Gohong applied for the Indonesian Military Academy (at that time the Indonesian Armed Forces Academy, Land Section) in Magelang. He was accepted and undertook military education in the academy for four years.

Military career After becoming a second lieutenant, Gohong attended a brief course on infantry tactics before being assigned as a platoon commander in Palangkaraya in 1972. before receiving a promotion as company commander the next year. He was installed on 22 September 1998, replacing Nahson Taway. During his tenure, ethnic riots occurred in the city as a spillover from the Sampit conflict between the Dayak and the Madurese people. Refugees from the Sampit conflict evacuated to Palangka Raya, causing shops, schools, and government offices to close early. A day after the refugees began pouring into Palangka Raya, Gohong invited influential figures and customary leaders in Palangka Raya into a meeting. Gohong explained the background of the conflict and discussed methods to prevent further riots occurring in Palangka Raya. However, these discussions failed to prevent further riots, and several people died after a group of Dayak reportedly tried to "clean" the city from Madurese people. To this day, any Madurese people who live in the city hid their ethnic identity, as they would be told to leave the city.

Gohong was replaced from his position as mayor on 22 September 2003. He was elected as a member of the Central Kalimantan Regional People's Representative Council in the 2004 Indonesian legislative election. However, his term was cut short in 2007, as in that year Gohong was found guilty in a corruption case. Gohong was sentenced to one year in prison for inflating the land price of a Hindu religious school in Palangka Raya. He was freed from prison and decided to run in the 2009 Palangka Raya mayoral election, but obtained only 15% of the votes and lost to academician Riban Satia.

Personal life Gohong was married to Cahaya Asi Ngantung on 17 May 1973. The couple had two daughters and two sons. A requiem mass was held at his house on the day of his death. His body was interred at the Tjilik Riwut Public Cemetery in a military ceremony on 26 February 2023.

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