UGM Provides Protection to Student Body Chairman Tiyo Ardianto
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta has provided monitoring and protection to the Chairman of UGM's Student Executive Body (BEM), Tiyo Ardianto, who was terrorised after protesting against the government of President Prabowo Subianto.
UGM spokesperson I Made Andi Arsana said the university leadership had been in communication with Tiyo Ardianto following threats from external parties. "UGM's leadership has tasked the Office of Security, Occupational Safety, Emergency, and Environment (K5L) to carry out the necessary monitoring and protection," said I Made Andi when contacted on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
Andi affirmed that UGM is obligated to protect all members of its academic community from threats or terror originating from any source, in the name of the institution and based on the constitution.
Tiyo experienced the threats after criticising the Prabowo government for failing to guarantee children's basic rights, following the suicide of a primary school pupil in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Tiyo received threatening WhatsApp messages about kidnapping from a number with a British country code, four days after BEM criticised Prabowo. In addition to kidnapping threats, the perpetrator also sent messages accusing Tiyo of being a foreign agent and seeking attention. "Foreign agent. Don't seek the spotlight selling rubbish narratives," one message read.
Tempo checked the number through the Getcontact application, but the owner's identity was not listed. According to Tiyo, besides receiving threats via WhatsApp, he was also followed by two individuals whilst at a café. The stalking occurred the day after the threats emerged. "They took photographs and hurried away," said Tiyo when contacted on Thursday, 12 February 2026.
BEM's protest against Prabowo took the form of an open letter sent to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN body focused on protecting the rights, health, nutrition and education of children worldwide. BEM sent the letter on 6 February, in response to the tragedy of a primary school pupil who took his own life in East Nusa Tenggara, reportedly because he could not afford to buy a pen and school books costing less than Rp 10,000.
According to Tiyo, the incident reflected the state's failure to guarantee children's basic rights, particularly access to education. The failure to provide child protection was inseparable from the government's policies and priorities.
In the letter, written in English, Tiyo outlined several points, namely that the tragedy undermined all the government's statistical achievements showcased by President Prabowo at national coordination meetings. The figures were clearly far removed from the reality faced by the public. "President Prabowo lives in his own imagination," said Tiyo.
Another point was the government's failure to set humanitarian priorities. BEM noted the irony that the government was able to donate Rp 16.7 trillion to the controversial Board of Peace, whilst a child took his own life for want of Rp 10,000 to buy a pen and books for school.
BEM also criticised the education budget being used for directionless populist policies that could potentially become breeding grounds for corruption. They cited the daily free nutritious meals programme, which absorbed Rp 1.2 trillion. The programme did not address the root causes of educational inequality and structural poverty.
At the close of the letter, BEM UGM assessed that President Prabowo was blind to reality and unwilling to learn. "Emphatically, our important message to UNICEF: help us to tell Prabowo Subianto how stupid he is as president," said Tiyo.
UGM spokesperson I Made Andi Arsana said the university leadership had been in communication with Tiyo Ardianto following threats from external parties. "UGM's leadership has tasked the Office of Security, Occupational Safety, Emergency, and Environment (K5L) to carry out the necessary monitoring and protection," said I Made Andi when contacted on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
Andi affirmed that UGM is obligated to protect all members of its academic community from threats or terror originating from any source, in the name of the institution and based on the constitution.
Tiyo experienced the threats after criticising the Prabowo government for failing to guarantee children's basic rights, following the suicide of a primary school pupil in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Tiyo received threatening WhatsApp messages about kidnapping from a number with a British country code, four days after BEM criticised Prabowo. In addition to kidnapping threats, the perpetrator also sent messages accusing Tiyo of being a foreign agent and seeking attention. "Foreign agent. Don't seek the spotlight selling rubbish narratives," one message read.
Tempo checked the number through the Getcontact application, but the owner's identity was not listed. According to Tiyo, besides receiving threats via WhatsApp, he was also followed by two individuals whilst at a café. The stalking occurred the day after the threats emerged. "They took photographs and hurried away," said Tiyo when contacted on Thursday, 12 February 2026.
BEM's protest against Prabowo took the form of an open letter sent to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN body focused on protecting the rights, health, nutrition and education of children worldwide. BEM sent the letter on 6 February, in response to the tragedy of a primary school pupil who took his own life in East Nusa Tenggara, reportedly because he could not afford to buy a pen and school books costing less than Rp 10,000.
According to Tiyo, the incident reflected the state's failure to guarantee children's basic rights, particularly access to education. The failure to provide child protection was inseparable from the government's policies and priorities.
In the letter, written in English, Tiyo outlined several points, namely that the tragedy undermined all the government's statistical achievements showcased by President Prabowo at national coordination meetings. The figures were clearly far removed from the reality faced by the public. "President Prabowo lives in his own imagination," said Tiyo.
Another point was the government's failure to set humanitarian priorities. BEM noted the irony that the government was able to donate Rp 16.7 trillion to the controversial Board of Peace, whilst a child took his own life for want of Rp 10,000 to buy a pen and books for school.
BEM also criticised the education budget being used for directionless populist policies that could potentially become breeding grounds for corruption. They cited the daily free nutritious meals programme, which absorbed Rp 1.2 trillion. The programme did not address the root causes of educational inequality and structural poverty.
At the close of the letter, BEM UGM assessed that President Prabowo was blind to reality and unwilling to learn. "Emphatically, our important message to UNICEF: help us to tell Prabowo Subianto how stupid he is as president," said Tiyo.