News Summary:
- Dwi Sasetyaningtyas’s oversharing about her child’s citizenship status has led to far-reaching consequences.
- Her husband is also affected, facing demands to return LPDP scholarship funds.
- The achievements Dwi Sasetyaningtyas had accumulated are now tarnished.
Teknowarta – The Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) scholarship program has once again captured public attention following a viral social media post by one of its alumni, Dwi Sasetyaningtyas (DS).
Her content, which revealed her child’s citizenship status, ignited a widespread debate, drawing government scrutiny and raising critical questions about the service obligations of state scholarship recipients.
The controversy originated from a video DS uploaded on Instagram and Threads, showcasing a letter from UK authorities confirming her second child had officially become a British citizen. In the video, DS explicitly stated, “I know the world seems unfair. But let only me be an Indonesian citizen; not my children. We strive for our children to have strong foreign passports as foreign nationals.”
This statement rapidly spread, provoking a strong backlash from netizens who deemed the narrative inappropriate and insensitive, especially coming from someone who benefited from a state-funded scholarship.
A significant portion of the public commentary underscored that LPDP funding originates from public taxes, making DS’s sentiment particularly controversial and poorly received. The public discussion quickly expanded beyond the issue of her child’s citizenship, delving into the personal lives of DS and her husband, Arya Iwantoro (AP).
The spotlight also intensified on their post-scholarship service obligations as LPDP awardees, becoming a central point of debate among netizens and various media outlets. Many commentators highlighted that scholarship recipients bear a significant responsibility to demonstrate accountability for the public funds they have utilized.
This incident serves as a public reflection on the boundaries of personal expression versus the moral obligations of state scholarship beneficiaries, while also emphasizing the heightened sensitivity surrounding citizenship issues in the digital age.
Minister Purbaya’s Rebuke and Decisive Action
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa also reacted to the unfolding controversy. During the February 2026 APBN KiTa press conference in Jakarta on Monday (23/2/2026), he subtly criticized DS’s statement, interpreting it as a reflection of skepticism towards Indonesia’s future prospects.
According to Purbaya, Indonesia’s outlook in the next two decades is projected to be substantially better, leading him to suggest that DS’s statement might be regretted later. “Some friends have been making fun, including the one who said their child shouldn’t be an Indonesian citizen. Perhaps in 20 years, they will regret it because in 20 years, we will be exceptionally strong,” he remarked.
He further highlighted that LPDP’s funding is sourced from taxes and a portion of the national debt, specifically allocated for human resource development. Consequently, Purbaya expressed deep regret over the LPDP alumnus’s perceived disrespectful attitude towards the nation.
Minister Purbaya went so far as to demand that AP, DS’s husband, return the scholarship funds he received, along with applicable interest. He also issued a stark warning of blacklisting AP from all government access. “I will blacklist him across the entire government; he will not be able to enter,” Purbaya firmly declared.
Instructions were promptly given to the LPDP Director to summon AP for clarification. Initial communications indicate that AP has already expressed his willingness to repay the scholarship funds he received. The government is currently calculating the exact amount to be returned, including the relevant interest.
“The Director has spoken with (the husband) regarding the matter, and it seems he has agreed to return the money he utilized from LPDP,” Purbaya confirmed.
LPDP’s Stance and Clarification
In response to the growing public uproar, LPDP issued a statement expressing its regret over the polemic. “LPDP regrets the social media polemic triggered by the actions of one of its alumni, Ms. DS. Such actions do not reflect the values of integrity, ethics, and professionalism that LPDP instills in all scholarship recipients,” LPDP Scholarship Director Dwi Larso told Kompas.com on Saturday (21/2/2026).
LPDP clarified that every awardee is required to complete a period of service in Indonesia for twice the duration of their study plus one year (2N+1). With a two-year study period, DS’s contribution obligation was recorded as five years.
DS was declared to have graduated on August 31, 2017, and has successfully completed all her service obligations, thus she no longer holds any legal ties with LPDP. Nevertheless, the institution stated it would still communicate with DS to encourage more prudent social media use and a greater understanding of public sensitivities.
DS’s Academic Record and Contributions
Academically, DS holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). She subsequently pursued a Master’s in Sustainable Energy Technology at Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, on an LPDP scholarship from 2015 to 2017.
During her period of service in Indonesia from 2017 to 2023, DS is credited with initiating various social activities. These ranged from planting 10,000 mangrove trees in coastal areas and empowering homemakers to generate income from home, to involvement in disaster relief efforts in Sumatra and the construction of schools in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
Focus Shifts to Husband’s Obligations
Public attention has since shifted to AP, DS’s husband, who is also an LPDP alumnus. According to LPDP, AP is suspected of not yet fulfilling his contribution obligations after completing his doctoral studies in the Netherlands in 2022.
AP is known to have obtained his PhD from Utrecht University and is currently working as a researcher in the UK. “LPDP is currently conducting an internal investigation regarding these allegations. LPDP will summon Mr. AP for clarification, and will initiate enforcement procedures and impose sanctions, including the full repayment of scholarship funds, if it is proven that his obligation to contribute in Indonesia has not been met,” Dwi Larso stated.
LPDP emphasized its unwavering commitment to enforcing its rules fairly and consistently for all scholarship recipients, as the clarification process in this case continues to unfold.
(TribunTrends/Kompas)
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Summary
LPDP alumna Dwi Sasetyaningtyas sparked public controversy by posting a video where she stated her children should not be Indonesian citizens after one obtained British citizenship. This statement drew significant backlash, especially since her scholarship was funded by public taxes, leading to questions about her accountability. Although DS had completed her LPDP service obligations by 2023, the incident prompted a wider debate on state scholarship beneficiaries’ responsibilities and social media conduct.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa criticized DS’s remarks and demanded her husband, Arya Iwantoro (AP), also an LPDP alumnus, return his scholarship funds with interest. AP is suspected of not fulfilling his post-scholarship service obligations after completing his PhD in the Netherlands in 2022 and currently working in the UK. LPDP is investigating AP’s status, and he has reportedly agreed to repay the funds, facing potential blacklisting from government access if the allegations are proven.