Viral: UNY Vice-Rector Debates Students Over Banner Containing Criticism

A video showing a vice-rector at Yogyakarta State University (UNY) angrily calling a student protest banner ‘rubbish’ has gone viral on social media. The banner contained criticism of UNY for opening up the possibility of managing an SPPG (Nutritional Fulfilment Service Unit), known as the MBG (Free Nutritious Meals) kitchen. In the video uploaded by the Instagram account @gardabiru.uny, a vice-rector in a white shirt is seen debating with students at high tension. The vice-rector was heard calling the students’ protest banner ‘rubbish’. The vice-rector is known as Siswanto, who serves as Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Legal Affairs at Yogyakarta State University. When asked for confirmation regarding the incident, a representative of the UNY Student Alliance, Andri, explained that the event took place on Wednesday (24/6). He recounted that his group had planned to hold a protest by taking advantage of the graduation ceremony at the UNY rectorate building. ‘Because graduation means more people are around, so when we protest, the message we convey can reach more people,’ Andri said when contacted on Friday (26/6/2026). ‘The banner was large, about 2x2 metres. It read: “rector of education, does not know education, campus is a place for cooking minds, not a place for cooking MBG, we UNY students reject SPPG”. We only wrote those three sentences on the banner,’ he continued. Andri said the banner was initially going to be installed on the rectorate stairs. His group only planned to put the banner up briefly to photograph it and then take it down, as they were aware the protest would disrupt the graduation if it lasted too long. After photographing the banner, they planned to focus the main protest on giving speeches in front of UNY’s main gate. ‘But before entering the rectorate stairs area, we were already intercepted in the rectorate corridor by many security guards and one of them was Mr Vice-Rector. We tried to break through,’ Andri explained. ‘At that point, the security guard explained, “Bro, you can’t come in”. Then we asked, “Why can’t we come in?”, “Well, it’s forbidden”, “Forbidden by whom?”, “Well, you don’t need to know”,’ he added, mimicking the conversation that took place. Ignoring the ban, Andri continued, his group kept trying to enter. A shoving match ensued. After being pushed out of the rectorate, an argument broke out between the students and the vice-rector, as recorded in the video. ‘Then the argument started. Mr Vice-Rector also said, “This can’t be here, this is dirty, this is rubbish”, like in the video circulating on social media,’ Andri explained. ‘We were quite shocked, why would he use language like that, because we rarely encounter language like “rubbish” or “dirty” in our protests so far. We also didn’t realise that he was the Vice-Rector. We were just shocked. That’s why we, especially myself, were stunned and silent, couldn’t say anything,’ he continued. After the incident, the students held their protest in front of UNY’s main gate, still carrying the banner. ‘At that point, it was also not allowed, our banner had been rolled up, but we persisted, and finally it was allowed,’ Andri said. Contacted separately, UNY Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Legal Affairs, Siswanto, said his reaction recorded in the video was because the student protest in the rectorate was unlicensed. Furthermore, he said the protest banner contained inappropriate writing. ‘Yesterday, several students wanted to perform a theatrical protest in the Rectorate Hall without permission, even though the hall was full of students and parents after graduation,’ Siswanto said. ‘The theatrical materials dirtied the floor and there was inappropriate writing. They accused UNY of having an SPPG, even though to this day it does not exist,’ he concluded.