UGM Student Body Chairman Criticises Government Over Activist Intimidation
The chairman of the Student Executive Body of Gadjah Mada University (BEM UGM), Tiyo Ardianto, has criticised the government's passive stance towards various acts of intimidation occurring across society. According to Tiyo, the Prabowo administration has repeatedly failed to take firm action on cases of terror directed at critical voices.
Tiyo described this passivity as a form of cowardice. "The current regime is indeed known as a cowardly regime," said Tiyo during an online press conference with the Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA) on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
Tiyo argued that the cowardice of President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's regime had been evident since their candidacy process, which involved altering age limit regulations through the Constitutional Court. "Just to win the presidential election, they had to circumvent the constitution. That was perhaps the first act of cowardice from the Prabowo-Gibran regime," said Tiyo.
According to Tiyo, the president and state officials should demonstrate a chivalrous attitude in protecting all citizens from intimidation, including those critical of the government. "Because in truth, whoever offers criticism has only one motivation: concern for the nation, so that this nation does not fall apart due to misgovernance," he said.
Tiyo also reaffirmed BEM UGM's criticism of government programmes and policies, particularly the free nutritious meals programme (MBG). "When our national problems are ignorance and minimal access to education, the solution is instead reduced to MBG," he said.
BEM UGM also criticised Indonesia's membership in the Board of Peace. To become a permanent member of the council, Indonesia would need to pay US$1 billion, or approximately Rp16.7 trillion.
BEM UGM, according to Tiyo, sees irony in the government's ability to fund the MBG budget and Board of Peace membership, whilst on the other hand there remain cases of people unable to afford schooling. Tiyo specifically highlighted the suicide of a primary school pupil in Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara, reportedly driven by the inability to purchase pens and books for school.
In early February, BEM UGM sent an open letter to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) raising concerns about Prabowo administration policies following the child suicide in East Nusa Tenggara. Tiyo and several BEM UGM officials received threats from unknown individuals several days afterwards.
Tiyo received a WhatsApp message containing kidnapping threats 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. Stop seeking a platform to peddle rubbish narratives," the message read.
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai stated that the government was not behind the threats against BEM UGM chairman Tiyo Ardianto. Natalius said that anyone invoking the government's name was engaging in opinion manipulation. "It steers opinion as though the government is suppressing the opposition, activists, or students. That is not the case. Especially via WhatsApp," said Natalius on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, when asked about the threats against Tiyo following his criticism of the government.
The former National Commission on Human Rights member said President Prabowo Subianto had prohibited the use of law as a tool to suppress the opposition. Prabowo, he said, is also open to criticism. "When the president has declared his position, we comply," he said.
Natalius said the government was not offended by criticism, claiming no one had been imprisoned for criticising the government. "If it involves criminal acts, that is different," he said.
According to Natalius, student criticism serves as a corrective tool and input for the government, which also regards criticism as an effort towards improvement. "Input aimed at the public interest and ordinary people is positive. But accusing the government of carrying out terror — that goes too far," he said.
Natalius called on police to investigate the threats, noting that the perpetrator's phone number could be traced and the message contents examined. "The police will determine who the perpetrator is," he said.
Tiyo described this passivity as a form of cowardice. "The current regime is indeed known as a cowardly regime," said Tiyo during an online press conference with the Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA) on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
Tiyo argued that the cowardice of President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's regime had been evident since their candidacy process, which involved altering age limit regulations through the Constitutional Court. "Just to win the presidential election, they had to circumvent the constitution. That was perhaps the first act of cowardice from the Prabowo-Gibran regime," said Tiyo.
According to Tiyo, the president and state officials should demonstrate a chivalrous attitude in protecting all citizens from intimidation, including those critical of the government. "Because in truth, whoever offers criticism has only one motivation: concern for the nation, so that this nation does not fall apart due to misgovernance," he said.
Tiyo also reaffirmed BEM UGM's criticism of government programmes and policies, particularly the free nutritious meals programme (MBG). "When our national problems are ignorance and minimal access to education, the solution is instead reduced to MBG," he said.
BEM UGM also criticised Indonesia's membership in the Board of Peace. To become a permanent member of the council, Indonesia would need to pay US$1 billion, or approximately Rp16.7 trillion.
BEM UGM, according to Tiyo, sees irony in the government's ability to fund the MBG budget and Board of Peace membership, whilst on the other hand there remain cases of people unable to afford schooling. Tiyo specifically highlighted the suicide of a primary school pupil in Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara, reportedly driven by the inability to purchase pens and books for school.
In early February, BEM UGM sent an open letter to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) raising concerns about Prabowo administration policies following the child suicide in East Nusa Tenggara. Tiyo and several BEM UGM officials received threats from unknown individuals several days afterwards.
Tiyo received a WhatsApp message containing kidnapping threats 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. Stop seeking a platform to peddle rubbish narratives," the message read.
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai stated that the government was not behind the threats against BEM UGM chairman Tiyo Ardianto. Natalius said that anyone invoking the government's name was engaging in opinion manipulation. "It steers opinion as though the government is suppressing the opposition, activists, or students. That is not the case. Especially via WhatsApp," said Natalius on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, when asked about the threats against Tiyo following his criticism of the government.
The former National Commission on Human Rights member said President Prabowo Subianto had prohibited the use of law as a tool to suppress the opposition. Prabowo, he said, is also open to criticism. "When the president has declared his position, we comply," he said.
Natalius said the government was not offended by criticism, claiming no one had been imprisoned for criticising the government. "If it involves criminal acts, that is different," he said.
According to Natalius, student criticism serves as a corrective tool and input for the government, which also regards criticism as an effort towards improvement. "Input aimed at the public interest and ordinary people is positive. But accusing the government of carrying out terror — that goes too far," he said.
Natalius called on police to investigate the threats, noting that the perpetrator's phone number could be traced and the message contents examined. "The police will determine who the perpetrator is," he said.