TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The confession video of Muhammad Abdimaludin, the Chair of the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Law, Bung Karno University (UBK), Indonesia, accepting bribe money, has drawn public attention. In the video, he admitted to receiving a sum of bribe after participating in a demonstration at the Horse Statue area, Jakarta, on June 15, 2026.
Abdi played a role as the coordinator in the event titled "Restructuring Indonesia." Here are the facts surrounding the controversy of the bribery to the Head of BEM FH UBK:
Chronology
Based on Abdi's confession, the bribe was given by FH UBK alumni through the police. This chronology has also been investigated by the university's rectorate.
The alumni requested the Student Executive Board of Bung Karno University (BEM UBK) not to force a demonstration near the State Palace in Jakarta. Vice Rector III of UBK, Daniel Panda, revealed that the bribe amounted to Rp20 million.
The bribe of tens of millions was given by the alumni to the BEM management, especially BEM FH and FE. They were asked to relocate the protest location to the front of the DPR, MPR, DPD complex in Senayan, Jakarta.
However, this request was rejected by BEM UBK, and the demonstration was held in the Horse Statue area. Nevertheless, the money was still received by several management members, including Abdi. Another request was for the representatives of the demonstration to conduct a closed mediation with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka at the Vice President's Palace after the demonstration.
The Head of BEM FH UBK admitted to using the bribe for personal needs. Abdi stated that the money was also distributed to UBK alumni, the management of BEM FH UBK, and the management of BEM FE UBK. "Rp2.5 million to two alumni, Rp2 million to my deputy, Rp2 million to Mubarak, and Rp2 million to BEM FE UBK," he said.
Suspension
Bung Karno University decided to suspend the student status of Muhammad Abdimaludin, the Chair of the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Law, UBK, after admitting to receiving a bribe during the demonstration titled "Restructuring Indonesia."
Vice Rector III, Daniel Panda, stated that the suspension decision was made after the Rectorate directly received Abdi's confession about receiving a bribe of Rp20 million, which was received by the BEM Campus Penyambung Lidah Rakyat management.
"In accordance with the statement of the Rector, today we have suspended the individual in question," said Daniel in a press conference at UBK Campus, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
With this status, he said, all of Abdi's activities will no longer represent BEM UBK or the university until the official completion of the investigation process.
In this investigation, he explained that UBK will call and examine several witnesses and parties suspected of being involved in the alleged bribe case during the BEM UBK demonstration on June 15.
"The management of BEM FH, FE, and several other students will be crosschecked again, including witnesses and individuals involved in this process," said Daniel.
In addition, the university does not rule out the possibility of imposing sanctions on the BEM UBK management who received the bribe. Daniel stated that the university will investigate the facts involving several students as part of the investigation process.
He mentioned that the severity of the sanctions to be imposed by the university on the management of BEM proven to have violated or tarnished the alma mater will consider the extent of the mistakes made. "The imposition of sanctions is in accordance with the regulations in UBK," said Daniel.
Bribery Is Seen as Damaging the Substances of Democracy
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) condemned the alleged bribery in the midst of student demonstrations involving BEM UBK. The Secretary General of YLBHI, Muhammad Isnur, stated that instead of accepting and reflecting on every aspiration and criticism conveyed, the state is trying to hide the substance of what the students demanded by creating a new discourse.
"This is a problem because it damages the substance of democracy," said Isnur when met at the YLBHI Office, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
He emphasized that the criticisms and aspirations, which should have been heard and considered by the president and the DPR, have now changed direction due to the loss of public trust in the student movement.
"This removes the true purpose of students' movements, which should purely arise from concerns, and now moved because of money," said Isnur.
Therefore, he urged the police to further investigate the figures involved in bribing BEM UBK to suppress the reformist movement and to be willing to conduct closed mediation with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Andi Adam contributed to the writing of this article.
Read: UBK Says Student Leaders Received Rp20 Million Bribe Via Police
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
