Golkar Demands LPDP Scholarship Review: Current Criteria Favour the Wealthy, Party Says
Controversial remarks by an LPDP (Education Fund Management Institution) scholarship alumna identified by the initials DS have had far-reaching consequences. Golkar is now demanding that LPDP scholarship eligibility criteria be reviewed, arguing that they can currently only be met by the wealthy.
“I myself raised this issue during a working meeting between House Commission XI and the Ministry of Finance in early 2022. I said that without clear emphasis and affirmative measures, LPDP would become a circle enjoyed only by the rich,” Golkar faction chair in the House of Representatives M Sarmuji told reporters on Monday (23/2/2026).
He cited the TOEFL and English language proficiency requirements for prospective LPDP recipients as an example, noting that such criteria favour wealthy families who can provide their children with quality education and English language courses.
“Without affirmative action, only the wealthy will benefit, because the requirements are extremely demanding. The English TOEFL scores required are such that the people who can meet these criteria are almost invariably from affluent backgrounds,” he said.
The Golkar secretary-general said LPDP scholarship criteria should prioritise academic ability, adding that language proficiency in the destination country can be improved during the course of study.
“The main thing is academic potential — whether the candidate can keep up with rigorous study. Language skills can be upgraded. The state can step in to help. But if from the outset only those who have been provided with the best schools and courses since childhood can qualify, then the same privileged group will always be the ones benefiting,” he said.
He noted that academic and foreign language standards are heavily influenced by socioeconomic background, with children from well-off families having far greater access to the resources needed to meet such requirements.
“The wealthy can send their children to good schools. The wealthy can enrol their children in quality English courses. The poor cannot. How can someone who has to sell meatballs whilst attending school manage it? It is extremely difficult to study intensively when you are working to survive,” he said.
“This is very different for children from disadvantaged families. For them, opportunities like LPDP could be the only ladder to change their fate,” he continued.
He said the government must take into account the social and economic conditions of the population, noting that many groups are currently unable to meet LPDP requirements due to structural limitations.
“This is not about lowering standards. Academic standards must remain high. But the state must pay attention to disadvantaged groups who cannot reach the established criteria because of structural limitations,” said the East Java legislator.
Sarmuji expressed hope that the public debate would not stop at personal condemnation but would serve as a catalyst for evaluating LPDP.
“The education endowment fund comes from the people’s taxes. Its spirit must therefore be one of social justice. We must not allow the same social group to benefit repeatedly without our realising it. The state must provide affirmative measures so that the disadvantaged also have a ladder to climb,” Sarmuji said.
DS’s Viral Remarks
The owner of the Instagram account @sasetyaningtyas posted a video of herself opening a long-awaited parcel containing a letter from the UK Home Office. The letter confirmed that her second child had officially become a British citizen. She also displayed the British passport that accompanied the letter.
“This package is no ordinary package — it contains an extremely important document that changes the fate and future of my children,” she said.
She then stated that she would endeavour to secure foreign citizenship for her children, saying: “I know the world seems unfair, but let me be the only Indonesian citizen — let’s make sure the children have strong foreign passports.”
The LPDP scholarship recipient subsequently issued a public apology via her Instagram account. Posting a clarification and apology on Friday (20/2), she said the remarks were driven by frustration but acknowledged that her actions were misguided and inappropriate.
“I fully realise that the statement was inappropriate and could be interpreted as demeaning Indonesian citizenship. I acknowledge my error in the choice of words and in making such statements in a public forum,” she said.