PDIP and AHY's Democrats Continue War of Words Over 'Inciting' Accusation

The position of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) as a balancing force has recently drawn scrutiny from parties within the government coalition, including the Democratic Party. The exchange of arguments between PDIP elites and the camp of Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) continues to this day.

PDIP Central Executive Board Chairman Deddy Sitorus initially launched sharp criticism at AHY regarding a statement asking PDIP to continue providing constructive criticism despite being outside the government. Responding to this, Deddy asked AHY not to incite and to respect the political stance taken by PDIP.

‘Back in 2025, we were also accused of being the masterminds behind the demonstrations. Now we are being accused again. These accusations refute themselves. In 2025, not a single PDIP member or person linked to PDIP was legally processed by the authorities. So, the facts automatically refute it,’ Deddy said at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (23/6).

The PDIP Central Executive Board Chairman revealed the same thing is happening again in 2026. He said one PDIP cadre, Andi Widjajanto, is being accused of masterminding demonstrations.

‘Now it is the same. Andi Widjajanto is being accused. Even a Coordinating Minister like AHY is saying, don’t incite,’ he stated.

‘This once again proves that being outside the government always makes you an easy scapegoat,’ he continued.

He assessed that the accusations against Andi Widjajanto lack any legal basis and are merely based on assumptions. According to him, the parties questioning PDIP’s position are driven by dissatisfaction within the government’s own ranks.

‘In my view, the reason other parties are making a fuss about PDIP’s position is most likely due to dissatisfaction among their own circles regarding their position within the government, or perhaps they want more attention from the president, I don’t know,’ he said.

‘But this is proof that they are just making noise, in my opinion, without any supporting facts,’ he continued.

The back-and-forth between PDIP and the Democrats continues. The following are a number of rebuttals issued by the Democrats and PDIP in response to the matter.

Democratic Party elite Yan Harahap, Secretary of the Party’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agency (BRAINS), hit back at PDIP Central Executive Board Chairman Deddy Sitorus, who was irked by AHY’s statement commenting on PDIP’s political position. Yan viewed AHY’s statement as too true to be refuted by PDIP.

‘If an invitation to prioritise national interests over party interests is considered incitement, then perhaps what is irked is not the content of the statement, but because the message is too true to refute,’ Yan said when contacted on Thursday (25/6/2026).

Yan admitted he was baffled by Deddy Sitorus, who considered AHY’s statement as incitement. He suspected Deddy’s ability to digest AHY’s statement was lacking.

‘Perhaps this is actually a form of his inability to digest the narrative delivered by Mas AHY,’ Yan said.

Yan claimed he heard AHY’s statement in question directly. According to him, AHY’s statement was very clear that the duty of political parties within the government coalition is to support and make the government’s programmes a success.

Meanwhile, he continued, the duty of political parties outside the government is to deliver criticism constructively and accompanied by solutions. ‘That is a principle of a healthy democracy,’ Yan added.

Furthermore, according to Yan, AHY also stressed that national interests must be placed above partisan interests. He said AHY even reminded people not to divide the nation, not to discredit as if everything is wrong, and to keep the door open for evaluating public aspirations.

‘It is hard to find a sentence more moderate and more calming than that, right?’ Yan remarked.

Departing from that, he questioned how Deddy understood AHY’s statement, which actually invited all parties to prioritise national interests, maintain unity, and build constructive criticism. He was baffled that Deddy considered AHY’s statement as incitement.

‘So what needs to be questioned is the way of understanding the statement, not the content of the statement,’ he said.

Deddy Sitorus responded to the Democratic Party elite’s statement that AHY was too true to be refuted. Deddy asserted that he had not misinterpreted AHY’s statement.

‘There is no misunderstanding. AHY clearly said you can criticise as long as it is constructive, but you must not divide the nation and discredit,’ Deddy told reporters on Thursday (25/6/2026).

Deddy assessed that the statement was a form of insinuation against PDIP. Therefore, he still considered AHY’s statement a form of political incitement.

‘Indirectly, by logic alone, this sentence clearly provides an insinuation and can be interpreted that the criticism delivered by PDIP so far has not been constructive and tends to divide and discredit. That is what I consider incitement. It is quite clear, isn’t it?’ he said.

Deddy also rejected the view that criticism of the government must always be constructive and offer solutions. According to him, that concept is reminiscent of the mindset of the New Order era.

‘AHY should also know that there is no such thing as constructive criticism and providing solutions; that reeks of the New Order. Criticism is criticism. If it is correct, please accept it; if not, just ignore it,’ he said.

‘It is not the people’s job to find solutions, but the government’s or the executive’s. It is very convenient to be given power, a budget, and a bureaucracy but still ask for solutions. If the people’s criticism cannot be met with a solution, then just resign!’ he added.