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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Palace Probes Alleged Payoffs to Student Leaders After Protest

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • The State Secretary's office is investigating allegations that student leaders of the Faculty of Law's Student Executive Board (BEM FH UBK) received funds during a protest.
  • BEM FH UBK Chairperson Muhammad Abdimaludin admitted to receiving money, reportedly to prevent protesters from marching to a specific area in Central Jakarta.
  • The funds, allegedly around 20% of a promised sum, were reportedly distributed for personal use and to other student leaders and alumni.

Indonesian authorities are probing allegations that student leaders involved in a recent protest received payments, a development that has surfaced after the demonstration's chairperson admitted to accepting money.

I will verify the news first to see if it is true.

— Bambang Eko SuhariyantoResponding to questions about the alleged flow of funds to student leaders.

Deputy State Secretary Bambang Eko Suhariyanto stated he was not yet aware of the specifics but would verify the circulating reports. The allegations gained traction after Muhammad Abdimaludin, Chairperson of the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Law at Bung Karno University (UBK), confessed to receiving funds during a protest titled "Tata Ulang Indonesia" (Restructuring Indonesia).

Regarding the issue being discussed, about the money, I did indeed receive it.

— Muhammad AbdimaludinAdmitting to receiving money during the protest.

In a viral video, Abdimaludin admitted to accepting money intended to halt the protesters' march toward the Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta. He stated he received approximately 20 percent of the total promised sum. This money, he claimed, was used for personal expenses and distributed among UBK alumni, the BEM FH UBK leadership, and the leadership of the BEM Faculty of Economics at UBK.

2.5 million rupiah went to two alumni, 2 million to my Deputy, 2 million to Mubarak, and 2 million to the BEM FE UBK.

— Muhammad AbdimaludinDetailing the distribution of the funds he received.

Abdimaludin explained that the money was handed over by a police officer, introduced by a UBK alumnus. The payment was reportedly aimed at preventing the protesters from advancing and securing their agreement for a closed-door mediation with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The protest itself, which began at the UBK campus, saw minor scuffles with police before student representatives met with the Vice President to discuss issues including free nutritious meals and cooperative projects.

The Vice President took note of our demands, which include the evaluation and overhaul of all the irregularities in the country today, such as the free nutritious meals (MBG) and the Red and White Village Cooperative.

— Muhammad AbdimaludinAfter the mediation with the Vice President.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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