Unpad Rector and Dedi Mulyadi Clarify Viral Video of New Student
A video of new Padjadjaran University (Unpad) student Keisha interacting with West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi (KDM) during the 2026 New Student Grand Reception (Prabu) went viral on social media, with claims that she felt pressured. The Unpad Rectorate and Dedi Mulyadi have issued firm clarifications.
Keisha is a student of the Applied Bachelor Programme in Government Administration at Unpad from Leles, Garut. During the Prabu Unpad event in early August 2026, she shared her life story with KDM, describing her struggle to attend university amid economic hardship after her parents separated, with her living costs now supported by her mother who works in a restaurant.
A clip of the interaction subsequently went viral. Some netizens judged KDM’s questions and jokes about her family background and choice of major to be insensitive, fuelling speculation that Keisha felt embarrassed and pressured to the point of intending to quit her studies.
Unpad Rector Arief Sjamsulaksan Kartasasmita strongly denied reports that Keisha had stopped studying due to pressure, insisting the situation on the ground was far different from the narrative circulating on social media. “Her studies are fine. She is not having any problems,” Arief said at the Unpad Rectorate on Thursday (20/8). He urged the public not to aggravate the situation in order to protect the student’s comfort.
Through his official Instagram account, Dedi Mulyadi clarified that the narrative claiming his remarks had hurt Keisha was a hoax. “I want to say that the news, information and narrative claiming Keisha, a Unpad government studies student who met me during orientation and overshared while unwell, became reluctant to attend lectures because of my remarks that were considered to belittle the major she is pursuing, is untrue,” KDM said via the account @dedimulyadi71 on Thursday (20/8).
Dedi Mulyadi confirmed his commitment to funding Keisha’s studies remains in place, with tuition for eight semesters already fully settled. “Secondly, she asked me that if one day she falls in love, her tuition should not be withdrawn. And I said her tuition cannot possibly be withdrawn because it has already been paid for five semesters, and I have even rounded it up to eight semesters. So her tuition fees are already settled,” he explained.
KDM said he had re-established communication with Keisha. In their conversation, Keisha asked that the public stop sharing clips of her personal video. “I have communicated directly with her. But she asked me to convey two things, one of which is for the public: that netizens should not keep cutting videos, whether uploaded by herself or taken from other people’s clips, showing her oversharing about the circumstances of her life,” KDM said. “I ask netizens, my friends and relatives, not to re-upload the video because she may have been too naive at the time in telling her personal situation,” he added.