Minister Nusron Wahid holds public policy dialogue at UGM, urges listening to student criticism

Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid spoke at a KOPDAR event on the campus of Universitas Gadjah Mada on 15 June 2026. Addressing mostly students, he emphasized that criticism and community input are essential for improving public policy, stating, “If an official does not want to be criticized, they are not fit for public service,” and adding, “I want my policies to be better, so I must listen to the people’s complaints.”

The dialogue, organized to mark the Pancasila month and coinciding with the Islamic New Year, also featured Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono and Head of the Poverty Acceleration Agency Budiman Sudjatmiko. While the minister called for policies to align with Pancasila values and for continual self‑evaluation, the session was halted after about 30 minutes when the atmosphere became non‑conducive, highlighting tensions between officials and student protesters.

Observers noted that the presence of high‑ranking officials on campus signals a willingness of the government to engage directly with critical voices, though the abrupt ending underscored challenges in maintaining constructive dialogue.