Makassar Student Disqualified from National Paskibraka Contingent, BPIP Responds
The Badan Pembinaan Ideologi Pancasila (BPIP) has denied claims of discrimination or SARA in the national Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (Paskibraka) selection process, stating it was conducted professionally and objectively.
The statement addresses the controversy surrounding Cathlyn Yvaeni Lesmana, a student who failed to make the top three representatives from South Sulawesi (Sulsel) after being disqualified during the national selection.
Fuad Lutfi, Director of the Paskibraka Programme at BPIP Central, confirmed there was no racism or discrimination behind Cathlyn’s disqualification, as circulated on social media.
“All participants had equal opportunities and were assessed based on nationally established selection indicators,” he said on Thursday (28 May).
He also clarified the public concern over the use of regional languages during interviews. Fuad stated that questions about regional language proficiency were not part of the criteria determining a candidate’s success.
He explained that such questions were part of the interview dialogue to assess the candidate’s general capabilities and knowledge, given they would represent their region.
“It is crucial to view the entire process holistically and proportionally, not just based on snippets of information circulating on social media,” he added.
Fuad further confirmed that all selection stages in Sulsel adhered to standard procedures, with strict oversight involving local government, provincial selection committees, and central monitoring teams.
“Essentially, the Paskibraka selection in South Sulawesi followed the national mechanism, involving regional government and central selection teams,” he said.
He explained that the selection process evaluated multiple aspects beyond academic scores or national awareness tests, assessing candidates’ overall readiness for national duties.
“Paskibraka is not merely about selecting the highest scorer in a single test, but choosing the most well-prepared individual to carry out state responsibilities,” he stated.
Fuad detailed that assessment criteria included health, physical fitness, military drill (PBB), personality, national awareness, mental readiness, and discipline.
The selection process occurs in stages from district/city to provincial and national verification levels. From each province, three pairs of candidates proceed to central-level selection.
“There is a ranking or cumulative score from all selection stages. The highest cumulative score determines who is sent to the national selection,” he said.
Fuad also noted that decisions on which candidates represent their region at the national level are not made by a single person or institution, but through collective evaluation in line with BPIP’s national guidelines.
He explained that provincial governments facilitate provincial-level selections via local committees, but central bodies including BPIP, DPPI Central, and the Presidential Military Secretariat (Setmilpres) directly participate in determining national-level candidates.
“The decision is not made by one individual or institution; it is a multi-stakeholder assessment in line with national guidelines,” he said.
BPIP urged the public to respect all participants in the selection process and avoid generating opinions that could undermine national unity. He added that all candidates are exemplary youths deserving appreciation for their dedication, discipline, and service.
Previously, South Sulawesi Provincial Secretary Jufri Rahman also denied discrimination in Cathlyn’s disqualification.
“The facts are clear: according to those handling the process, the top candidate had a higher score than Cathlyn during the selection for Jakarta-bound participants,” Jufri told reporters on Tuesday (26 May).
He denied the use of the term “annulled” in the process, explaining that annulment only applies if a candidate is announced as qualified then later revoked, whereas this case was still ongoing.
“There is no such thing as annulment here. Annulment occurs only after a candidate is declared successful and then rescinded. This is still an ongoing process,” he clarified.