BPIP Denies Discrimination Claims in South Sulawesi Paskibraka Selection
Badan Pembinaan Ideologi Pancasila or BPIP denies allegations of discrimination in the national Paskibraka selection process in South Sulawesi. Social media has circulated claims that a Makassar-based candidate, identified as CYL with Chinese ethnicity, failed to advance to the central selection despite reportedly being among the top three in the initial provincial selection for the national Paskibraka.
Addressing this, BPIP Central Paskibraka Programme Director Fuad Lutfi stated the national Paskibraka selection process was conducted professionally and objectively. BPIP dismissed narratives linking the selection to ethnicity, religion, race, or other backgrounds.
Fuad said candidates were assessed based on national parameters, not specific backgrounds. ‘All participants have equal opportunities and are evaluated according to nationally established selection indicators,’ Fuad said on Thursday, 28 May 2026, quoted from a written statement accessed via the South Sulawesi Provincial Government’s official website.
Furthermore, Fuad addressed claims about the use of regional languages in interviews. Candidates were reportedly tested on South Sulawesi’s regional language proficiency, though this was not part of the official national selection mechanism.
Fuad clarified that regional language ability was not a component determining candidate success. ‘It was part of the interviewer’s dialogue to assess general capability and insight, as they would represent their region,’ he said.
He added that similar questions could extend to foreign language proficiency or knowledge of the candidate’s home region, including tourism and local culture potential. ‘During interviews, interviewers engage candidates to gauge their understanding,’ Fuad added.
He stressed the selection process followed national procedures, involving regional government elements, provincial selection committees, and central monitoring and evaluation teams. He noted that decisions on who represents the region at the national level are not made by a single party.
Provincial governments facilitate provincial-level selections through local committees, while central entities such as BPIP and the Pancasila Ambassadors of Paskibraka Indonesia (DPPI) Central are directly involved in selecting candidates for the national stage.
‘Decisions are not made by one person or one institution. It is a multi-stakeholder assessment in line with national guidelines,’ Fuad said.
Fuad explained that Paskibraka selection does not solely assess academic grades or national insight tests. He stated the evaluation process is comprehensive to determine candidates’ readiness for state duties.
He listed multiple assessment components, including health, fitness, marching regulations, personality, national insight, mental preparedness, and discipline.
Fuad said the selection is conducted in stages from district/city to provincial and national verification. Three pairs of candidates are selected from each province to proceed to central selection. ‘There is a ranking or cumulative score from all selection stages. The highest cumulative score determines who is sent to the national selection,’ Fuad said.
According to Fuad, CYL did not rank among South Sulawesi’s top three candidates recommended for national selection based on cumulative scores. He urged a holistic and prudent view of the process. ‘Not based on fragmented information circulating on social media,’ he said.
Fuad stated that if any clarification is needed, BPIP will coordinate with provincial selection committees within their authority.