Polda Metro Jaya apologizes for controversial Youth Pledge Declaration

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) has issued a public apology following controversy surrounding the 2026 Indonesian Student Youth Pledge Declaration. The event, held on October 29, 2026, in front of the Thamrin Police Post in Central Jakarta, drew public criticism after reports surfaced that some participants were not actual students.

Public outcry was fueled by viral footage of a participant wearing a university jacket who appeared unable to identify his campus. The event also featured high-profile guests, including Raffi Ahmad, the Special Envoy to the President for Youth and Arts, and content creator Willie Salim. Ahmad issued his own apology, stating he attended as an invited guest with sincere intentions and did not mean to undermine the spirit of the youth movement.

Kombes Pol. Budi Hermanto, Head of Public Relations for Polda Metro Jaya, stated that the police respect all public feedback and will use the criticism as an internal evaluation to improve public service.