UGM Student Union Says Bribery Allegation Against BEM FH UBK is a Warning for Student Movement
The Chairperson of the Universitas Gadjah Mada Student Union (Sema UGM), Bintang Mesa, has stated that the alleged bribery of the Student Executive Body (BEM) of the Faculty of Law at Universitas Bung Karno serves as an alarm for student movements. Bintang noted that students should use this warning to strengthen movement infrastructure and consolidate their efforts.
Bintang described the incident as an attempt at ‘divide et impera’ (divide and rule) to suppress student activism, according to statements made to Tempo on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. He emphasised that students must remain instruments of struggle.
Bintang reaffirmed that the UGM Student Union will continue to reject all forms of attempts to tame student movements, following their recent protest at the Innovation and Creativity Arena (GIK) auditorium on Monday, 15 June 2026.
During that event, the UGM Student Union disrupted a public discussion titled “Pancasila as the Unifier of the Nation.” The event was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid, and the Head of the Poverty Alleviation Agency Budiman Sudjatmiko.
The UGM Student Union rejected several ministers from President Prabowo Subianto’s cabinet, arguing that the government is blind to policies that fail to address root problems. Furthermore, they criticised officials for demonstrating the wastage of state funds on overseas visits with unclear benefits.
Previously, the Chairperson of the Student Executive Body of Universitas Mulawarman, Heththan Hersya Putra, also condemned the bribery involving the UBK Law Faculty. Hersya stated that bribery poisons student integrity and stains the movement, calling it an attempt to undermine student activism.
The Rectorate of Universitas Bung Karno received a direct admission from the Chairperson of the UBK Law Faculty BEM, Muhammad Abdi Maludin, regarding the bribe he received. The bribe was allegedly provided by a Law Faculty alumnus via police officers. The alumnus had requested that the UBK Student Executive Body refrain from protesting near the Presidential Palace area.
In exchange, the individual offered Rp 20 million if the UBK BEM agreed to move their protest location to the front of the DPR, MPR, and DPD complex. Vice Rector III Daniel Panda stated that the students rejected the request and proceeded with the demonstration at the Patung Kuda area. However, he noted that the money was still accepted and delivered in the early hours of the morning, according to a press conference in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.
At Patung Kuda, the UBK BEM held a demonstration titled “Reorganising Indonesia” on Monday, 15 June 2026. On the same day, representatives from the UBK BEM accepted an invitation for closed mediation with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The mediation was held at the Vice President’s Palace with 15 student representatives in attendance.
The Universitas Bung Karno Rectorate deactivated Muhammad Abdi Maludin’s student status on Monday, 22 June 2026. Daniel stated that the university will summon and examine several witnesses and parties suspected of involvement in the alleged bribery case related to the demonstration.