UI Rector Never Assigned Daffa Ulhaq to Join VP Gibran's Working Visit
Universitas Indonesia has stated it never received an official request or notification from the Vice President’s Secretariat regarding the involvement of UI students in Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s working visit. This statement was made following the participation of Daffa Ulhaq, a student from the Faculty of Humanities (FIB) at UI, in Gibran’s tour of several regions on Thursday, 18 June 2026.
UI Rector Heri Hermansyah emphasised that the campus never appointed, delegated, or gave official assignments to Daffa to participate in the agenda. Based on internal checks, he said, there is no record that UI received an official request or notification from the Vice President’s Secretariat.
“Regarding the mechanism of the invitation to the student concerned, that matter is outside our administration, so it is more appropriate to confirm with the Vice President’s Secretariat,” said Heri when contacted on Friday, 19 June 2026.
According to Heri, UI respects the right of every student as an adult citizen to take part in various activities outside the campus in a personal capacity. However, the campus still encourages student involvement in external agendas to be coordinated with the study programme or faculty so that the campus can provide adequate support.
Previously, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka brought five students from various universities on a working visit to Ende, Gorontalo, and several areas in Papua from 18 to 21 June 2026. The involvement of these students took place amidst a strengthening wave of student demonstrations criticising a number of government programmes, such as the free nutritious meals and the ‘Red and White’ village cooperatives.
Besides Daffa from UI, the students who participated in the visit were Keletus Sakaro from Sanata Dharma University, Nolan Christopher Adam from Pelita Harapan University, Salsabila Maulida from the Indonesian Institute of Arts and Culture, and one other student from a different university.
Gibran said the involvement of the students was part of an effort to strengthen oversight of the implementation of the free nutritious meals programme and the ‘Red and White’ Village Cooperatives in the regions. This step, he said, was a follow-up to various aspirations conveyed by students regarding the implementation of the government’s priority programmes.
“I would like to thank all my fellow students who have conveyed their aspirations peacefully. Thank you for the constructive input,” said Gibran in a written statement on Thursday, 18 June 2026.
According to him, the direct involvement of students in programme monitoring can ensure that implementation runs transparently, accountably, and on target. He hopes that student participation in the working visit can strengthen collaboration between the government and the younger generation in overseeing government programmes.