LPDP Chief: Scholarships are Funded by Taxpayers' Money, Alumni Must Uphold Ethics and Morality!

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu) has expressed regret over the behaviour of an LPDP scholarship recipient, identified only as DS, whose recent online posts have been widely criticised for allegedly belittling Indonesia.

The Director General of LPDP, Sudarto, reminded LPDP alumni to uphold ethics and morality, given that the scholarship funds they receive come from taxes, i.e., public money. “LPDP scholarships come from public funds. I have a slogan now: LPDP ‘You’re Using Taxpayers’ Money,’ so you must remember that,” Sudarto told reporters at the Ministry of Finance complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (26 February 2026).

Sudarto stated that, on behalf of LPDP and all its alumni, he conveyed an apology to the public for the controversy caused by DS’s behaviour. He said he deeply regretted DS’s actions, which could have been avoided.

He emphasised that LPDP was established and operates based on public trust. The public hopes that the Education Endowment Fund will be a long-term investment.

“I need to convey to all LPDP alumni that they should prioritise upholding ethics, morality, and national values,” he stressed.

Despite the DS case, which has tarnished the reputation of LPDP, Sudarto remains confident that LPDP alumni are working diligently to serve the nation with full dedication throughout the country and in various fields. Many LPDP alumni continue to bring a good name to Indonesia on the world stage.

Public discourse, especially on social media, has recently been dominated by discussions about an LPDP scholarship recipient who posted a video about his child’s citizenship as a British citizen.

In the video, which was uploaded to his personal social media account, he showed his child’s British citizenship document, while expressing his happiness and pride.

One excerpt from the video has drawn sharp criticism: “…it’s enough that I am an Indonesian citizen; my children don’t need to be. We will ensure that our children have a strong foreign passport.”

Some members of the public felt that the statement seemed to belittle the Indonesian passport and did not reflect a sense of nationalism, especially given that the person in question was an LPDP scholarship recipient, a higher education funding scheme sourced from the State Budget (APBN).