A public uproar has resurfaced after a recipient of the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) scholarship shared content showcasing their child’s British citizenship status, triggering widespread debate.
The posts drew scrutiny regarding nationalism, the obligation to serve the nation, and the choice of citizenship for the recipient’s child. Beyond these personal aspects, the controversy has expanded into a broader discussion about transparency, accountability, and the effectiveness of governance over LPDP scholarships, which are funded by taxpayers’ money.
Responding to this polemic, Dr. Subarsono, a lecturer in Public Policy Management (MKP) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), believes that LPDP’s administrators must reinforce transparency and accountability to the public. According to him, as an agency under the Ministry of Finance responsible for managing public funds, LPDP is obliged to adhere to its own established regulations, including stipulations regarding the period of community service for scholarship recipients.
“If the regulations state that scholarship recipients must return to Indonesia and serve for a certain period, then those provisions must be enforced. Those who have not met their obligations must be processed strictly in accordance with the prevailing rules,” he said on Monday (March 2) at the UGM Campus.
Subarsono added that the enforcement of law is crucial to maintaining order and legal certainty, not only for a case that has drawn attention but also for future policies.
“Law enforcement is important to maintain order and legal certainty, not only for the current case but also to anticipate similar incidents that may arise in the future,” he added.
For Subarsono, this widely publicized case serves as a reminder that LPDP’s oversight still needs strengthening, especially for recipients who have completed their studies. He stressed the likelihood that some graduates may not return to Indonesia but avoid sanctions due to weak post-study monitoring.
“If monitoring were conducted carefully from the outset through after graduation, cases like this could be prevented. What happened now, by chance, became visible because it was posted on social media,” he explained.
Regarding the effectiveness of sanctions, Subarsono believes that the formal restitution of scholarship funds could provide adequate accountability while also serving as a deterrent to other recipients. Although informal resolution is possible, he believes that a legal route offers stronger certainty.
Despite this, he regretted that personal expressions on social media triggered varied public interpretations. In his view, freedom of expression must be balanced with responsibility to avoid misunderstanding.
“This case is a lesson that missteps on social media usage can have personal impacts on the individual involved,” he said.
In terms of regulations, Subarsono observed that control over scholarship recipients remains relatively loose and relies on moral awareness. Moving forward, he urges that legal certainty and consequences for noncompliance be reinforced. At the end of the study period, he added, there needs to be clear confirmation of recipients’ certainty of returning to Indonesia to serve the nation.
“It seems that LPDP still looks to the moral consciousness and goodwill of scholarship recipients rather than a legal foundation. It would be better if, at the end of their studies, there must be clear confirmation regarding recipients’ return to Indonesia to serve,” he said.
According to him, the primary focus of the LPDP program is to ensure that recipients provide their service to the nation. Nonetheless, improvements in governance and ensuring that scholarship recipients return and contribute to national development are required.
“It would be fair if someone who has received state support then provides their service to the country,” Subarsono stated.
As a hope, Subarsono emphasized the importance of political will and awareness among recipients that their education costs are provided by the people through taxes and state financing. With that awareness, it is expected that a commitment to return and help build Indonesia will emerge.
“Recipients must have political will and awareness that their education costs were obtained from the public through taxes and external state loans, so that they remain committed to serving the nation,” he said.
For LPDP administrators, Subarsono believes this moment can serve as an entry point for improving governance, particularly in post-study supervision. He also proposed forming an LPDP alumni association as a platform to strengthen networks and remind one another of their collective responsibilities as recipients of a national scholarship.
“If necessary, establish an LPDP alumni association so that relationships among recipients can be strengthened,” he concluded.
Author: Zabrina Kumara
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Zahra
Photo: iStockphoto