Proud Her Children Became Foreign Nationals, LPDP Scholarship Recipient Tyas Finally Apologises

Jakarta, VIVA — The name Dwi Sasetyaningtyas, known as Tyas, has come under intense public scrutiny after her Instagram post sparked controversy. She had previously made a statement that drew widespread attention: “Let me be the only Indonesian citizen — not my children.” The post emerged alongside news that her children had officially become foreign nationals in the United Kingdom.

The statement immediately drew a wide range of reactions. Many netizens regarded her words as a form of denigration of Indonesian citizenship. The polemic widened further when it emerged that Tyas is an alumna of the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), as is her husband.

Through an official statement, Tyas ultimately issued a public apology. In her clarification, she acknowledged that her remarks were born out of personal emotion.

“In connection with my previous post containing the sentence ‘let me be the only Indonesian citizen, not my children’, I hereby offer an open apology to all members of the public who felt hurt, offended, or made uncomfortable by that statement,” she wrote in a statement quoted from her Instagram account @sasetyaningtyas on Saturday, 21 February 2026.

Tyas also explained the emotional background behind her statement.

“That statement was born entirely from my personal disappointment, exhaustion, and frustration as an Indonesian citizen towards various conditions I have experienced. However, I realise that such disappointment should not have been expressed in a manner that had the potential to hurt the feelings of many people, particularly in relation to the national identity we collectively uphold,” she wrote.

Tyas acknowledged her error in choosing her words and expressing them in a public forum.

“I fully recognise that the sentence was inappropriate and could be interpreted as a form of denigration of Indonesian citizenship. To that end, I acknowledge my mistake in the choice of words and in expressing them publicly. Whatever the emotional background behind them, the impact of that statement remains entirely my responsibility,” she said.

She reiterated her apology for the furore that ensued and pledged to communicate more wisely in public spaces going forward.

Official Response from LPDP

In response to the polemic, LPDP also issued an official statement. In its written remarks, LPDP expressed regret over the actions of its alumna.