Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Merince Kogoya, who was set to represent Papua Pegunungan in the Miss Indonesia 2025 pageant, has been removed from the list of finalists following the resurfacing of a video of her expressing support for Israel.
On Monday (June 30), organizers of Miss Indonesia 2025 introduced the contestants set to compete in the national final. However, Kogoya was notably absent from the press conference and was quietly replaced by another contestant.
The controversy first gained traction through a post by the popular pageant news account @sobat_pageant on Saturday (June 28), which stated that Kogoya had been sent home and was no longer participating in the competition.
Her removal came after a 2023 video showing her singing, praying, and waving an Israeli flag went viral on social media, prompting outrage amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
The footage, originally posted two years ago, showed Kogoya alongside a group in an open field holding Israeli flags. Her caption read, “Passion for Zion, loyalty to Jerusalem, stand for Israel, rise for the nation, and harvest for the nations.”
The video, viewed as politically sensitive in Indonesia, a country that maintains strong public support for Palestinian independence, and had triggered a wave of criticism online.
Social media users condemned the video, interpreting it as a symbolic endorsement of Israel. The backlash intensified public pressure on the Miss Indonesia organizers, ultimately leading to Kogoya’s dismissal from the pageant.
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She was reportedly sent home from the contestant quarantine on the night of June 26, without any formal statement or press briefing from the event’s organizers. In her place, Karmen Anastasya then officially named as the new representative of Papua Pegunungan.
Kogoya later addressed the controversy through an Instagram Story, stating that her video was not intended to endorse any political ideology or nation.
“I was simply practicing my faith as a follower of Christ by praying a blessing. But the video from two years ago has been widely misinterpreted and taken out of context,” she wrote.
She also issued a public apology to those who had supported her candidacy. “I apologize to the people of Papua Pegunungan… my position was replaced in a matter of minutes due to public sentiment that sides with Palestine,” Kogoya said.
While some voiced sympathy and support for Kogoya, the majority of public comments have backed the decision to remove her from the competition. As of now, Miss Indonesia organizers have yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
(Raidi/Agung)
