It seems it is not easy for National Police detective chief Comr. Gen Budi Waseso to forget how Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie treated him years ago.

The row between Budi, who was formerly the Gorontalo Police chief, and Rusli stemmed from the governor'€™s lobbying of the central government to kick Budi out of the province. Budi filed a defamation suit against the governor before he left the province two years ago.

'€œIt'€™s not that I don'€™t accept the apology. Let the legal process continue and if there is a decision later, we'€™ll be different. I want law enforcement to be fair, and none of the officials can do as they like, including me. Every offense must be accounted for,'€ said Budi after giving testimony at the Gorontalo District Court on Monday.

In the middle of 2013, Budi remembered meeting the governor, who was about to leave for Mecca to perform umrah (minor haj pilgrimage), at Jalaluddin Airport in Gorontalo. '€œPray for me Pak,'€ said Budi, recalling what he said at the time. But his presence went unnoticed.

He had earlier visited Rusli at his residence, under an order of then National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo. Budi was ordered to immediately reconcile with the governor.

'€œHowever, two days later, Timur called me again and said: You have to be on good terms with him. Haven'€™t I told you to reconcile?'€ Budi told the court.

Budi subsequently responded to a court summons on the defamation case. Rusli also attended the proceedings as the defendant.

Budi claimed his heartache worsened because not long after, a team from the National Police headquarters special inspectorate approached him in Gorontalo, bringing a letter from the coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister, the contents of which concerned the disharmony between him and the governor.

There were 10 items reported by the governor to the minister, most of which regarded Budi'€™s absence from various events and meetings ahead of and after the Gorontalo mayoral election from March 26 to June 14, 2013.

Besides that, Budi was also said to be on close terms with former incumbent Gorontalo governor Gusnar Ismail, Rusli'€™s archrival during the 2013 gubernatorial election.

At the height of the conflict, Budi said Rusli then carried out high-level lobbying at the National Police headquarters and House of Representatives so Budi would be dismissed as Gorontalo Police chief.

Budi was eventually transferred on Sept. 10, 2013, and served as a professor at the National Police'€™s High Staff and Command Academy. He was promoted to two-star general. According to him, the National Police chief decision was a win-win solution, so as to stop the enmity.

After hearing Budi'€™s lengthy statements, presiding judge Johnicol Richard Frans Sine at one point asked Budi and Rusli to apologize to each other, which he claimed was a part of moral and social justice.

'€œThe legal process will continue, but for the sake of greater benefit, we appeal to the defendant to apologize and be witnessed by the community,'€ Johnicol said in front of Budi and Rusli.

However, Budi refused to accept the apology. According to him, the law should be truly upheld, so it could serve as a lesson for everyone, including him.

Despite that, on the same occasion, Rusli expressed his apologies.

'€œI appeal to him [Budi] to accept my apology,'€ Rusli, who wore a white shirt and Muslim cap, said in a soft tone.

Rusli has previously made a public apology through a full page in a local newspaper, but it appeared to not be enough for Budi.

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