Ex-UGM Student Leader Tiyo Denies Political Ties, Challenges Accusers to Prove Claims

Former Chairman of the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Student Executive Board (BEM) Tiyo Ardiyanto has responded to various accusations levelled against him, including alleged affiliation with the PDI-P party, a car loan, and being part of the LGBT community. Tiyo addressed the accusation of being close to PDI-P, which linked him to party figures and retired Lieutenant General Setyo Sularso. “I think the accusations today are made to keep me busy. So I personally choose to focus on strategic and substantive matters,” Tiyo explained when met at UGM, Sleman, on Thursday (25/6). “Regarding closeness to certain parties, I think people can make all sorts of false connections. I remain independent as a free individual, who wants the current government to run properly,” he continued. Regarding the accusation of receiving a car loan for operational purposes, Tiyo questioned the capability of his accusers. “I think, again, my question is just one. That accusation was made by the BEM Fakultas Bersatu. BEM Fakultas Bersatu is an alliance that I myself have only just heard of. After I looked into it, several organisations on the campus where they study clarified that of the 14 people claiming to be the BEM Fakultas Bersatu alliance, some were not students, some had already graduated, and some were not BEM chairmen but claimed to be,” he revealed. Tiyo refused to answer the accusations one by one. He stressed that whoever makes the accusation must prove it. “What can be trusted from people who have lied about their own identities? I have never shown anything related to a vehicle or anything. So this is an accusation that, in legal terms, the one who accuses must prove it,” he added. Besides these two accusations, Tiyo has also received several other claims he considers baseless. “I have been accused of all sorts of things. I was accused of being LGBT because at that time I didn’t have a girlfriend. I was accused of being ‘Abah’s son’ because I was once in the same forum as Mas Anies during an alumni forum for BEM chairmen. Various accusations have been hurled at me,” he said. Tiyo asserted that all the accusations aimed at him are solely intended to intimidate him and keep him busy clarifying them one by one. However, Tiyo stressed that he remains focused on strategic and substantive matters rather than being busy answering each accusation. “Let time determine whether the accusations are true or false. Let the narrative I speak be the measure of whether the accusations are true or false. Because that is the only way for us to measure whether we are independent figures or patrons, beholden to certain parties,” he asserted. The accusations originated from a representative of BEM Bersatu, Rahmat Djimbula, who is the Chairman of BEM Hukum UIC. In a press conference in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta, on Tuesday (16/6/2026), he highlighted the closeness of former UGM BEM Chairman Tiyo Ardianto, one of the protest organisers, to a retired general. This was based on the Toyota Fortuner vehicle Tiyo used being registered under the name Siti Nuraeni, who is linked to retired General Andhika Perkasa, a figure in Ganjar Pranowo’s campaign team for the 2024 Presidential Election. “The Fortuner he used is suspected to be registered under the name Siti Nuraeni, the younger sibling of retired Lieutenant General Setyo Sularso, who is the in-law of retired General Andhika Perkasa, a figure in Ganjar Pranowo’s campaign team for the 2024 Presidential Election. This suspicion is reinforced by the presence of PDI-P politician Andi Widjajanto among the protesters,” Djimbula was quoted as saying by detikNews. Additionally, Tiyo was scheduled to appear in a dialogue featuring figures such as Said Didu, Roy Suryo, Refly Harun, and Dr Tifa. These matters formed the basis for their claim that Tiyo has closeness to a certain political network. “In the same forum, retired Lieutenant General Setyo Sularso was also recorded as being present, indicating a network that deserves scrutiny,” he said. BEM Bersatu rejects narratives of a crisis that are not based on complete data, as they divert public focus. They believe the student movement must be the voice of the people, not a tool for power struggles.