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The Singapore Coroners’ Court on Wednesday ruled the death of David Hartanto Wijaya, an Indonesian student who had been studying at Nanyang Technological University, to have been a suicide.

David was found dead at the university campus on March 2, and his family and supporters believe he may have been murdered. Wednesday’s ruling means that the family’s case will not be heard by a criminal court.

Hartono Wijaya, David’s father, told the Jakarta Globe he was “very sad and disappointed” by the court’s decision.

“When the judge was about to read the verdict, we walked out of the court because we knew what the verdict was going to be,” Hartono said. “I’m so deeply sad, my tears have gone dry. I cried for help until my voice was gone.”

David’s mentor, Prof. Chan Kap Luk, had accused the student of attempting to stab him with a kitchen knife shortly before the student allegedly jumped to his death from the fourth floor of the university building.

David’s family has always maintained that the circumstances surrounding his death were suspicious. The family cannot appeal the court’s decision and criticized the Indonesian government for not doing enough to ensure a fair trial.

“Why did the government close their ears and eyes to us?” Hartono said. “My son was an Indonesian citizen, he fought for Indonesia in a world competition, but his beloved country did not help him.

“For four months we have been asking and begging the government to help us. We needed their help to speak to the Singaporean government to ask them to give us a fair trial.”

Vice President-elect Boediono met with the family in Singapore on Tuesday, and while Hartanto said he was supportive, “he is not in the government yet.”

“He only met us one day before the verdict,” Hartono said. “What could we have expected from him?”

He took the opportunity to thank David’s friends and individuals who were sympathetic to the family’s plight.

“Without their generous help, we wouldn’t have been able to hire a lawyer and pay our expenses in Singapore,” Hartono said.

Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said on Wednesday that the government was committed to ensuring that Indonesian citizens received fair trials overseas.

“However, we have to be aware that there are limitations for us not to interfere [with trials] as we would not also want that to happen with our court,” he said.

Hassan said the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore acted mostly as an observer to the case, but said more could have been done to help the family if they had been more cooperative.

“How the embassy helped the family depended mainly on them, including in the legal process,” he said.

For example, the Hassan said that family could have used the Singaporean legal advisor that the embassy keeps on its payroll.

“They preferred to hire an Indonesian lawyer who surely will not have access to the Singaporean court and does not have a license to practice there,” he said.

The minister said the government remained “committed to supporting and protecting Indonesian citizens” but said that any assistance given to the family would extend only as far as Singaporean laws permitted.