Syahganda Says Remarks on Gibran Came Before His Government Appointment
Kabarsaji.com – Syahganda Nainggolan has said his earlier call for Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to be replaced was made before he entered the government as head of the Government Communication Agency, or Bakom.
Speaking during a handover event at Bakom’s Jakarta office on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Syahganda addressed renewed attention to a video in which he sharply criticized Gibran. He said the recording was made while he was still an outside observer, not after President Prabowo Subianto appointed him to lead the agency on October 2, 2026.
The distinction matters, Syahganda said, because some circulating accounts have presented the older comments as though they reflected his position after taking office. He argued that republishing the clip without its original timeline creates a misleading impression of his current role and responsibilities.
If my old video is circulated and then claimed to be made after the inauguration, they are actually violating journalistic principles. Because those are my old videos.
Podcast Comments Resurface
The disputed remarks came from an interview on a podcast hosted by Refly Harun, a constitutional law lecturer at Tarumanagara University. The episode was uploaded to YouTube on September 14, 2026, weeks before Syahganda’s appointment to Bakom.
In that discussion, Syahganda questioned Gibran’s eligibility to serve as vice president. He also raised doubts over the educational credentials of Gibran, the eldest son of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, and referred to what he described as constitutional and diploma-related issues.
That is why I said it is time for the Vice President to be replaced. Gibran, enough is enough, as you are no longer deserving. It is clear that there are diploma flaws, constitutional flaws, and so on.
The statements were part of Syahganda’s public commentary before he became a state official. His later appointment has placed him in a different institutional position, with Bakom serving as a government communication body under the current administration.
Official Role Requires Alignment, He Says
Syahganda said that his personal opinions from before entering office should not be treated as an independent agenda within government. As Bakom chief, he said he is required to carry out the President’s vision rather than operate from his own political position.
However, inside the government system, I must automatically align with the President.
He added that the responsibilities of a public official leave little room for maintaining a separate line from the administration’s direction. In his view, the office he now holds requires him to support the policies and priorities set by President Prabowo.
Whatever vision the President sets, I must follow, so we regret that certain media outlets are still irresponsible like that.
Syahganda framed the President and Vice President as part of one governing structure, saying their work should be understood through the administration’s shared agenda. He said Bakom’s task is to execute and communicate that direction.
As part of the government, the President and Vice President share the same thoughts. We execute that vision. That is the essence of it.
Why the Timing Is Central
The episode illustrates how comments made before a government appointment can take on new significance once the speaker joins an administration. A video recorded in a personal, academic, political, or media capacity may be interpreted differently after that individual assumes an official role.
For Syahganda, the central issue is not that the earlier video exists, but the date attached to it. He has maintained that the interview preceded his October 2 inauguration as Bakom chief. His explanation seeks to separate his former public criticism from the obligations he says now apply to him as a member of the government.
The renewed debate also comes amid continuing public attention to questions involving Gibran’s qualifications and educational background. A top court previously found no proof that Vice President Gibran holds a high school-equivalent diploma. Syahganda’s podcast comments had invoked similar concerns before he entered office.
His clarification does not retract the fact that he made the earlier criticism. Instead, it emphasizes a change in status: from a commentator speaking outside the state structure to an official who says he must work within the President’s chain of authority.
As Bakom’s new head, Syahganda will now be judged primarily through his conduct in office and the government communications he helps deliver. His remarks at the handover ceremony made clear that he sees loyalty to the administration’s program as a defining requirement of that role.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bakom s Head Syahganda Clarifies Past?
Bakom s Head Syahganda Clarifies Past is the main topic of this guide. The article explains the context, practical details, and next steps readers should understand.
Why does Bakom s Head Syahganda Clarifies Past matter?
Bakom s Head Syahganda Clarifies Past matters because readers are looking for a useful answer, not just a short summary. Good content should match search intent and help them decide what to do next.