LPDP CEO Sudarto stated that the agency is calculating the scholarship refund amount for alumni AP, husband of the viral DS on social media. The statement was made during a press conference at the Ministry of Finance on February 25, 2026. Sudarto also discussed efforts to improve strategies for better alumni absorption into Indonesian industries.
During a press conference at the Ministry of Finance in Jakarta on the evening of February 25, 2026, LPDP CEO Sudarto addressed the scholarship refund issue for alumni AP, whose studies ran from 2015-2016 and continued 2017-2021. "Kalau (uang) yang dikembalikan, masih dihitung. Kami ada datanya, ada hitung-hitungannya," Sudarto said. He promised to announce the amount given its public interest.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa had previously stated AP agreed to return the full amount including interest. "Bosnya LPDP sudah berbicara dengan suami yang bersangkutan. Dan dia sepertinya sudah setuju untuk mengembalikan uang yang dipakai dari LPDP. Jadi termasuk bunganya loh," Purbaya said on February 23, 2026. He regretted DS's post seen as insulting the country, noting LPDP funds come from taxes and debt for human resource development.
Sudarto acknowledged LPDP is refining strategies for alumni industry absorption. Focus shifts to impact, aligning scholarships with strategic fields like STEM (80% quota in 2026), energy, health, and digitalization. LPDP does not guarantee jobs but builds ecosystems via industry coordination and internships up to two years post-graduation.
Additionally, Sudarto noted four of eight sanctioned alumni (Rp1-2 billion each) have fully repaid as of January 31, 2026, while 36 other cases are under review. Scholarships are inclusive, including for officials' children, with advice for partial funding if economically able.
