PDIP's Deddy Dismisses Democrats, Still Considers AHY's Statement as Incitement

PDIP Central Executive Board Chairman Deddy Sitorus has hit back at Democratic Party elites who claimed Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) was too correct to be refuted. Deddy asserted that he did not misinterpret AHY’s statement. ‘There was no misunderstanding. AHY clearly said criticism is allowed as long as it is constructive, but it 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 considers AHY’s statement to be 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. Now, that is what I consider incitement. Clear enough, right?’ he said. Deddy also rejected the view that criticism of the government must always be constructive and offer solutions. According to him, this concept is reminiscent of the mindset of the New Order era. ‘AHY must 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, accept it; if not, just ignore it,’ he said. ‘It is not the people’s job to find solutions, but the government’s/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 given a solution, then just resign!’ he added. Previously, the Secretary of the Democratic Party’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agency (Brains), Yan Harahap, counter-attacked PDIP Central Board Chairman Deddy Sitorus, who was disturbed by Democratic Party Chairman AHY’s statement when commenting on PDIP’s political position. Yan viewed AHY’s statement as too correct for PDIP to refute. ‘If a call to prioritise the nation’s interests over party interests is considered incitement, then perhaps what is disturbed is not the content of the statement, but because the message is too correct to be refuted,’ Yan said when contacted on Thursday (25/6). 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. ‘Perhaps this is a form of his inability to digest Mas AHY’s narrative,’ Yan said.