Through her comment on social media, Dwi Sasetyaningtyas has actually struck a chord with broader public frustration over government policies perceived to sideline citizens’ voices and welfare, from fears of the return of the military’s dual function following a law revision to controversial and costly programs like free the nutritious meal program championed by President Prabowo Subianto, sparking movements like #KaburAjaDulu (Just Run Away First) and Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia).

While her frustration with the state is understandable and partly explains why she sought foreign citizenship for her children, she has faced online backlash for seemingly dodging her LPDP obligation to return home and contribute to the country, although she maintains that she has continued her sustainability campaign from overseas.

Not only are netizens saying she is ungrateful to the state, or precisely the taxpayers that funded her education and enabled her to live abroad, but they also highlight alleged “missteps” by her husband, Arya Iwantoro, who has yet to fulfill his obligation in Indonesia after completing his master’s and doctoral degrees under a scholarship in 2022. He is reportedly serving as a senior research consultant at a university in the United Kingdom, working in the Coastal Marine Applied Research (CMAR) Division.

LPDP policy requires awardees to return home for two terms plus one year to serve the country.

The online uproar has reignited debate over the terms and conditions, with many insisting that “service” must take place in Indonesia. But having lived and studied in the UK as a scholarship awardee, I would like to offer a different perspective.

Indonesia, a nation of 280 million people with over 1,000 ethnic groups and a rich diversity of cultures, still lacks a strong international brand. Most foreign people know Bali, the holiday island, better than Indonesia. Some even mistakenly think Bali is Indonesia, when in fact it is only one of the archipelago’s roughly 17,000 islands.