Deputy Minister Denies Fleeing UGM Discussion, Insists on Commitment to Dialogue
Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono has spoken out against accusations that he fled a discussion with Gadjah Mada University (UGM) students that turned unconducive. He stressed that the incident was not an attempt to avoid criticism or dialogue.
Sudaryono explained that he attended the event alongside Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Nusron Wahid and Head of the Poverty Alleviation Acceleration Agency (BP Taskin) Budiman Sudjatmiko. The agenda had been prepared well in advance and received approval from the university. The event was held at the UGM Innovation and Creativity Centre (GIK) in Yogyakarta on Monday, 15 June 2026.
“We came to UGM to engage in dialogue. This event was planned long ago and had received permission from the campus. This is also not the first activity of its kind,” Sudaryono said in an official statement on Tuesday, 16 June 2026.
He stated that from the outset, the speakers provided an opportunity for students to ask questions and voice criticisms of government policies. “Being asked anything is fine. Being judged in any way is also fine. We were there to engage in a democratic dialogue,” he remarked.
According to Sudaryono, the discussion proceeded for about half an hour before a group of participants demanded that the forum be stopped. This situation, he said, triggered tension during the event. “We managed to discuss for around 30 to 40 minutes. But then a group of people wanted the forum halted. In fact, most of the students wanted to listen and engage in dialogue,” he revealed.
Sudaryono stated that he and Nusron Wahid initially remained because they wanted the dialogue to continue. However, the situation deteriorated after an incident involving a thrown water bottle and an alleged physical assault. “I felt someone hit me. There was also a water bottle thrown. Because the situation was no longer conducive, the security team advised us to leave,” he said.
He denied the notion that he and his entourage fled the location. On the contrary, he claimed they attempted to continue communicating with the students even after the main forum was disrupted. “If anyone says Sudaryono and Nusron fled, that is inaccurate. We were the ones who came to have a dialogue. Even when our car was blocked and we were being sought out, we got out and sat cross-legged on the asphalt to continue the dialogue,” he asserted.