UMY Students Detain DIY Police Intelligence Officer, University Pursues Peaceful Resolution
A peaceful demonstration by around a thousand students from Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY) at Yogyakarta’s Zero Kilometre Point on Wednesday (17/6) was nearly marred by tension on campus. The incident was triggered by the presence of a member of the Yogyakarta Regional Police (Polda) intelligence unit who infiltrated the campus area without coordination.
Tension arose when the crowd, part of the UMY Bergerak Alliance, returned to campus around 5.30 p.m. local time. Students became suspicious of a man in civilian clothing. After being interrogated, the man admitted to being a member of the Polda DIY intelligence unit. To avoid a mob attack, the officer was secured in the UMY Rectorate Building.
UMY Vice Rector for Education and Student Affairs, Zuly Qodir, immediately mediated between the students and the police. He stressed the importance of resolving issues through common sense and dialogue rather than physical force. “I emphasised to the students that dialogue is far more important than using physical force. Using common sense and clarity of thought is the best way to solve problems,” Zuly said in an official statement on Thursday (18/6).
The situation eventually calmed down after Polda DIY provided an official clarification and picked up its officer at 8 p.m. local time. Zuly assessed that the incident serves as a valuable lesson for law enforcement regarding the importance of proper coordination when entering academic institutions.
JPW Head of Public Relations, Baharuddin Kamba, considered the incident of an intelligence officer being caught by students as embarrassing for the police force. He proposed that the officer and his commander be relieved of duty and undergo retraining in intelligence. JPW also urged an evaluation of intelligence presence during demonstrations. “If they are not needed, they should not be present. Even if forced to attend for security, their identity must be shown officially,” Baharuddin asserted.
Despite the brief tension, the UMY campus is now confirmed to be back to normal. The university appreciated the students’ maturity in upholding academic ethics while responding to provocations on the ground. Polda DIY stated that the intelligence officer’s presence on campus was part of security measures for the protest, and the misunderstanding was resolved humanely with the rectorate.