Jakarta — Representing the Papua Mountainous Region, Merince Kogoya, has had to accept a harsh reality after being disqualified from Miss Indonesia 2025. The decision was made following the circulation of a video from her past showing her waving the Israeli flag on social media, which drew public attention.
Through her Instagram stories, Merince expressed her disappointment over being eliminated from the competition. She admitted that her efforts over the past four months felt futile and that her hard work and sacrifices had gone unrecognized.
“Fighting with all my heart, but others are enjoying the results,” Merince wrote on her account @kogoya_merry.
The 20-year-old also shared that her journey to the Miss Indonesia 2025 stage was not easy. She and her team faced numerous obstacles, including challenging circumstances in her hometown during the filming of her profile video, which was in a tense situation at the time.
“God never ignores His children’s struggles. My four-month journey—from earning the finalist sash for Papua Mountainous Region to overcoming various challenges, including receiving assistance of over 65 million rupiah, and the exhaustion experienced by my team—was full of sacrifices. Even during the profile video shoot, we faced life-threatening risks amid ongoing gunfire. It was painful, full of setbacks and tears,” Merince recounted.
Additionally, she expressed regret over the decision made by the organizers, which she believed was sudden and influenced by public pressure. She felt unfairly labeled as pro-Israel solely because of her personal religious beliefs.
“I am simply practicing my faith as a Christian—praying for Israel’s blessing and praying for peace and repentance. However, a video reel of mine from two years ago was circulated and misinterpreted, leading to various false opinions about my faith,” she explained.
Merince also voiced her disappointment with the organizers, whom she believed made their decision based on pro-Palestinian comments from the public. She extended her gratitude and apologized to her family and supporters from Papua Mountainous Region.
“I have done my best to give my all, but unfortunately, the decision by @missindonesia was influenced by pro-Palestinian comments that oppose my beliefs,” she concluded.
