Why Students Stormed a Discussion Featuring Nusron, Budiman, and Sudaryono at UGM

Hundreds of students stormed a discussion event featuring three state officials at the Joglo Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK) UGM on Monday evening (15/6). The incident was also marked by a chase. The action took place while the forum, attended by Head of the Poverty Alleviation Acceleration Agency Budiman Sudjatmiko, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid, and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono, was underway. Initially, the discussion proceeded smoothly. However, shortly afterwards, a number of students climbed onto the stage and unfurled banners rejecting the speakers. The situation heated up until the discussion was halted and plastic cups were thrown. The three officials were then evacuated, but hundreds of students blocked them outside the GIK UGM building. Nusron Wahid and Sudaryono briefly engaged in dialogue with the crowd, but the talks again reached a deadlock. As they left the location under escort, a shoving match occurred between students and security personnel. A representative of the UGM Student Senate (SEMA), Mesa, stated upon confirmation that the action was a form of criticism against the government. They believe that as long as the government considers criticism a disturbance, the officials are unfit to discuss Pancasila. ‘They are unfit to discuss Pancasila while Indonesia silences the people’s voice, while they consider criticism a disturbance, while they waste people’s money on useless programmes, the MBG programme, Kopdes Merah Putih, and many other things happening now,’ Mesa said, as quoted by detikJogja on Tuesday (16/6/2026). Mesa stated that the friction that occurred was considered normal. According to him, it happens when the government can no longer be reminded gently. ‘The friction occurs precisely because they talk a lot of nonsense, they lie a lot,’ he said. ‘The frictions that occurred earlier are indeed a normal thing in a democratic country, where currently they cannot just be whispered to, but indeed must be shouted at,’ he added. Regarding the chase, he said it was triggered by officials who did not want to engage in discussion with the students. ‘The chase actually happened because they were avoiding us. We would not have chased them if they had answered one simple question of mine: do they feel guilty? No. They instead asked a question back and also explicitly felt no guilt. That is the consequence of their actions,’ he asserted. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono provided an explanation regarding the incident that occurred during the discussion agenda. In his statement, Sudaryono emphasised that his presence along with the other officials at the UGM campus was from the outset intended for open dialogue with students. ‘We came to UGM precisely to discuss. This event had been planned for a long time and had received permission from the campus. This is also not the first activity of this kind,’ Sudaryono said in a written statement received by journalists on Tuesday (16/6/2026). According to Sudaryono, from the beginning, he and the other speakers opened the widest possible space for students to ask questions or criticise government policies. ‘Being asked anything is fine. Being judged in any way is also fine. We came to engage in democratic dialogue,’ he said. However, in the middle of the forum, Sudaryono claimed there was a group of participants who did not want the discussion to continue, causing the situation to become unconducive. ‘We managed to discuss for about 30 to 40 minutes. But then there was a group that wanted the forum stopped. Even though the majority of students actually wanted to listen and engage in dialogue,’ he revealed. He admitted to staying at the location with Nusron Wahid because he believed dialogue was the best way to resolve differences of opinion. However, the situation reportedly escalated after water was thrown and alleged physical actions occurred. ‘I felt someone hit me. There was also water thrown. Because the situation was no longer conducive, the security team advised us to leave,’ he said. Sudaryono denied the notion that he and his entourage left the location to avoid dialogue. ‘If anyone says Sudaryono and Nusron ran away, that is not accurate. We were the ones who came to discuss. Even when our car was blocked and we were being sought after, we got out again and sat cross-legged on the asphalt to continue the dialogue,’ he stressed. In that spontaneous discussion, a number of students conveyed criticism related to land issues and alleged evictions. According to Sudaryono, he was open to directly verifying every issue raised. ‘If there really is an eviction or a specific agrarian problem, let’s check it together. I am even prepared to use personal funds to go to the location and see the problem firsthand,’ said Sudaryono. He emphasised that the government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto is open to criticism and upholds democracy. ‘If there is something wrong, we will fix it. That is a reflection of democracy. People are allowed to have opinions, but they must also respect the opinions of others,’ he said. Sudaryono also apologised to the students who had come with the intention of engaging in dialogue but were unable to participate in the forum optimally due to the situation. ‘I apologise to the younger students who actually wanted to have a good dialogue. We are ready if invited again, whether in Yogyakarta or Jakarta. The important thing is that we discuss,’ he said. Sudaryono affirmed the government’s commitment to continue opening spaces for dialogue with various elements of society. ‘Based on love for the country, we are ready to engage in dialogue with anyone. This is proof that the government is democratic and open to criticism and input,’ he concluded.