Budi Arie Apologises for 'My Instinct Is Faster Than 2029' Controversy

Budi Arie Setiadi, chairman of the Projo volunteer group, has apologised for the uproar caused by his remarks about a historical rupture and an instinct that change could come ‘faster than 2029’. Budi Arie stressed that his statement was personal and had no connection to Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

The controversial statement circulated in a video lasting 1 minute and 47 seconds. The video showed a meeting in a room where Budi Arie was seated next to Jokowi.

In the short video, Budi Arie, wearing a long-sleeved batik shirt, recounted what he had whispered to Jokowi. He said he had an instinct that ‘this is faster than 2029’. After speaking about his instinct, Budi Arie asked the forum what would happen if an acceleration occurred while they were still busy discussing the 2029 general election.

Participants occasionally answered ‘ready’ and ‘okay’ as Budi Arie spoke about the potential for acceleration before the 2029 election.

In the video, Budi Arie said he had whispered to Jokowi, asking whether his instinct that things would move faster than 2029 was correct. He questioned whether they were ready if an acceleration occurred while they were still talking about the 2029 election. He said he had experience with the movement of history and that there was something abnormal in society at present, citing demonstrations in Pati and Madura. He compared the situation to the Pam Swakarsa vigilante groups of 1998, saying that thugs would certainly lose.

He argued that anomalies and variables in society meant they could not simply think about conventional scenarios, steps and stages as usual. He said that, in his opinion, a historical rupture was occurring. He drew a comparison with 1997, when the next election suddenly took place in 1999. He said this potential was very large given public unrest and current economic conditions that were not making people happy. He said his activist instinct told him something was happening faster than they imagined, and that he was trying to open a discussion so that people would think beyond 2029 and consider alternatives if a historical acceleration occurred.

After the video went viral, Budi Arie issued an apology on Wednesday (26/8/2026). In a video statement shared with journalists, he provided three points of clarification. One point stated that his remarks about a potential acceleration from 2029 had nothing to do with Jokowi, who was seated next to him at the time.

Budi Arie said the statement had no connection whatsoever with Joko Widodo. In his full apology, he said that in connection with the viral spread of his statement and analysis at a recent meeting in Jakarta, which had caused speculation and various misinterpretations, he apologised to those who were displeased or uncomfortable with his remarks. He said the statement and analysis were his personal views, that they had no connection with Joko Widodo, and that he was ready to take responsibility and accept all consequences for his analysis and statement. He ended by urging people to maintain Indonesian unity.

Meanwhile, PSI central board chairman Bestari Barus stressed that Jokowi knew nothing about Budi Arie’s statement. Bestari also insisted that Jokowi had given no approval whatsoever for the remarks. He said Jokowi attended because he was invited to meet volunteers, and that someone had spoken out of turn, seemingly hinting at things that could potentially divide the nation. Bestari said he could guarantee one thousand per cent that there was no approval from Jokowi for what was conveyed that morning.