Tiyo Ardianto Dismisses PDIP Affiliation Claims as 'Cocoklogi'

Former Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Student Executive Board (BEM) chairman Tiyo Ardianto has responded casually to accusations that he is close to or affiliated with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP). The allegations were made by an alliance calling itself the BEM Fakultas Bersatu, which criticised the student movement opposing government programmes such as the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, claiming it was being driven by Tiyo and ridden by practical political interests.

Regarding the claims of closeness to certain parties, Tiyo stated that people can engage in various forms of speculation. The final-year Philosophy student at UGM asserted that his activism remains independent and he is not affiliated with any political party or figure. He described himself as a free individual who simply wants the current government to govern properly.

The accusations of Tiyo’s proximity to PDIP began after he posted about a Toyota Fortuner he had used, which was fitted with a tracking device by unknown persons following his participation in the ‘Rakyat Memanggil’ protest in Gejayan, Yogyakarta, in mid-June 2026. The BEM Fakultas Bersatu group linked the vehicle’s origins to Siti Nuraeni, who is reportedly the younger sibling of retired Lieutenant General TNI Muhammad Setyo Sularso. Setyo Sularso is the in-law of retired General TNI Andika Perkasa, a prominent PDIP figure and former campaign team member for Ganjar Pranowo.

Tiyo clarified that the car was borrowed. He chose not to report the tracking device incident to the police, interpreting the easily detectable tracker as a deliberate message that his movements were being monitored. He declined to speculate on who was responsible, suggesting it could be the authorities or parties attempting to pit him against the government. He said he ignores such matters, emphasising that the public should see the incident as a warning sign for democracy, where those who care about the nation are shadowed by danger. He added that reporting the case would be too draining and disrupt his activism, especially as he has encountered two such tracking attempts.

Regarding the BEM Fakultas Bersatu’s accusations of being co-opted by practical politics, Tiyo remained unfazed. He noted that he had only just become aware of the alliance and, upon checking the organisations on campus, received information that not all of the 14 individuals in the group are actually students. He questioned the credibility of people who are dishonest about their own identity, stating that under legal principles, the accuser must provide proof. However, Tiyo reiterated that the real issues are the daily Rp 1.2 trillion budget for the MBG programme and the deeply problematic Red-and-White Village Cooperatives at the grassroots level.