UGM BEM Chairman Threatened, Palace: Criticism is Okay, but Prioritize Ethics and Manners

Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi (ANTARA/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi)

JAKARTA - The Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi considers the delivery of criticism by students to be legitimate, but it needs to be done responsibly by prioritizing ethics and manners.

This was conveyed by Prasetyo in response to the news of the terror experienced by the Chairman of the Gadjah Mada University Student Executive Board, Tiyo Ardianto, after delivering criticism regarding the case of child suicide in East Nusa Tenggara.

"We always convey criticism or input, it's okay, that's it. Well, but of course we appeal to everyone, yes, to convey everything with full responsibility, then also prioritize ethics, manners, eastern manners, that's it," said Prasetyo as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 18.

According to Prasetyo, the presentation of opinions and criticism is part of the freedom of opinion guaranteed by the constitution.

However, in conveying this view, each party is urged to continue to pay attention to the manner, path, and selection of diction so that the input provided is constructive and can be a shared learning.

The Minister of Law and Human Rights emphasized ethics and manners, including avoiding the use of inappropriate words, which need to be maintained by anyone in expressing opinions, not limited to students or certain organizations.

"Avoid using unpolite or bad words, that's it. This applies to anyone, not only for my younger brother who is from the BEM UGM, that's it," he said.

Regarding the alleged terror experienced by the Chairman of the BEM UGM, including threats through messages and against his family members, Prasetyo said that this would be further checked.

"Later we will check it," he concluded.

As previously reported, the Chairman of the UGM BEM, Tiyo Ardianto, received a WhatsApp message with a kidnapping threat from a number with an English code.

In addition to the threat of kidnapping, the intimidators also sent messages accusing Tiyo of being a foreign agent and looking for a stage. "Foreign agents. Don't look for a stage to sell garbage narratives," the message read.