A FORMER church minister from Invergowrie has reacted with “incredible surprise” at the jailing of former Armidale High student Angelina Sondakh.
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David Neilson forged a close relationship with her father Lefrand “Lucky” Sondakh during the 1980s, when he was working and living in Tomohon in Indonesia.
He discovered the father had studied at UNE, completing a PhD in agricultural studies. It was during this time his daughter Angelina was born in 1977.
“They were a very happy and decent family,” Mr Neilson, who now works for the Ageing Disability and Homecare service in Armidale, said.
“I could tell the father was very close to the daughter. My heart really goes out to him. It must be a terrible time for all.”
Mr Neilson met [the father] at the Universitas Sam Ratulangi in Manado, where they discovered the Armidale link.
He would spend time with the family and had a memory of a young, happy child playing while he talked with [father].
“There never seemed to be any problems at home. Nothing that could lead to what has happened. It’s all very sad,” he said.
Mr Neilson returned to Armidale eight years ago, after resigning as a minister for the Uniting Church.
Sondakh, a 35-year-old beauty queen who won was Miss Indonesia in 2001, was found guilty of receiving bribes amounting to 12.5 billion rupiah ($1.3 million) as a legislator for the ruling Democratic Party.
Sondakh spent the first five years of her life in Armidale before moving to Indonesia with her family.
She returned to Australia as a teenager in the 1990s, completing Year 11 at Armidale High School in 1994.
Armidale High School could not be reached for comment, but the school’s Wikipedia page lists Sondakh as a notable graduate, citing her Miss Indonesia win.
Judges at Jakarta's anti-corruption court said the bribes were linked to her role as a member of parliament's budget committee, where she allegedly helped paved the way for a company linked to a fellow politician to win government contracts.
Sondakh, who has been dismissed as a legislator and the party's deputy secretary general, denied any wrongdoing. She said she was a victim of a political conspiracy.
The Democratic Party of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been embroiled in corruption cases involving its senior politicians. Analysts said the scandals could hurt the party's chances in the 2014 elections.
