President Joko Widodo or Jokowi fulfilled Nyak Sandang's desire to meet him. The President received Nyak Sandang at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at around 18:25 pm.
Nyak Sandang is one of the Acehnese, who contributed his fortune to purchase the first Indonesian aircraft.
Nyak Sandang came accompanied by two children, Maturidi and Khaidar. They fly from Aceh on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. "This is Mr. Jokowi, Father, he is very happy to meet the President," Maturidi said as quoted from the press release of the Presidential Palace on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
In his meeting with Jokowi, Nyak Sandang submitted several requests to the President. One of them is about help for cataract surgery. Jokowi said it would meet the request. "Well, I'll take care of it for cataracts, cataracts a light operation, tomorrow please check with the hospital for cataracts," said the President.
Nyak Sandang who is now 91 years old also asked Jokowi to build a mosque in his village in Lamno, Aceh. The president also said he would send a team to check the conditions there.
The request of Nyak Sandang the third is to perform the pilgrimage. "Want to go hajj if it can be this year, because it is old," continued Maturidi.
Related to this, Jokowi said it will seek and coordinate with Minister of Religious Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin. While waiting for the certainty of hajj departure, Jokowi also offer for umrah first. "Given the hajj there is a queue, I will discuss with the Minister of Religious Affairs," said the President.
After submitting his request, Nyak Sandang then presented evidence of the 1950 Government bonds he had to the President.
In 1948, President Sukarno visited Aceh to raise funds for the purchase of the first aircraft after Indonesia's independence. Nyak Sandang, who was then aged 23 years old with his parents sold a patch of land and 10 grams of gold. Her valued Rp100 was handed over to the state.
President Sukarno then received donations from the people of Aceh as much as SGD 120 thousand and 20 kg of pure gold to buy two aircraft named Seulawah R-001 and Seulawah R-002. The two aircraft are the embryo of Garuda Indonesia Airways airline.
At the end of the conversation, Nyak Sandang was grateful to President Jokowi. "Thank you Mr. President has had time for us," said Nyak Sandang.