JAKARTA, The Kabar News—Indonesian entertainer and presidential special envoy Raffi Ahmad has apologized for the controversy surrounding his appearance at a Youth Pledge declaration in Central Jakarta, saying he attended solely as an invited guest and took no part in organizing the event.

Raffi attended the Indonesian Student Youth Pledge Declaration near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Thursday, Oct. 29. The event drew scrutiny after social media users questioned the identities of several participants wearing university jackets.

In a statement posted to his Instagram account on Saturday, Oct. 31, Raffi said he had received information about the event only the previous evening.

“I attended the Youth Pledge declaration as a guest after receiving information about the invitation on the night before the event,” Raffi said.

Raffi, who serves as the presidential special envoy for youth development and art workers, denied participating in preparations for the declaration.

“I had no role in planning or arranging the event, and I was unaware of the program details or the attendees,” he said.

Jakarta Metropolitan Police later confirmed that it had organized the event and invited Raffi and content creator Willie Salim.

“Raffi Ahmad and Willie Salim attended at our invitation as the organizer,” Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Budi Hermanto said. “Both came with sincere intentions to commemorate the Youth Pledge.”

The declaration carried the theme “Patriotic, Persistent and Empathetic: Youth for Indonesia.” Police said it aimed to promote unity and encourage young people to resist online disinformation and provocation.

However, the gathering attracted criticism after footage showed a participant wearing a university jacket who reportedly could not clearly identify the institution he represented. The Universitas Dian Nusantara student executive body later said the university had no affiliation with the person.

Police said they were investigating allegations that some attendees had falsely presented themselves as students. The investigation had not produced a publicly announced conclusion as of Sunday, Nov. 1.

The declaration also took place one day after students and civil society groups held a separate demonstration at Bundaran HI. That timing fueled criticism over what protesters described as different treatment of the two gatherings. Police said they did not organize the declaration to counter the earlier demonstration.

Raffi also denied arranging the appearance of a commercial brand at the venue. Images of branded arches and road barriers had prompted speculation about corporate involvement.

“The arches and road barriers displaying the brand had been installed long before the event and had no connection with my presence,” he said.

Raffi maintained that he respected students’ right to protest and acknowledged the importance of public scrutiny.

“Expressing an opinion is a right, and students’ voices are important,” he said.

He later apologized for the public reaction generated by his attendance. “I sincerely apologize for the commotion caused by my presence,” Raffi said, adding that the episode had taught him to examine future invitations more carefully.

Jakarta Police also apologized for the controversy and said it would use the criticism to evaluate future public activities. While authorities continue investigating the participants’ identities, available statements from Raffi and the police consistently describe him as a guest rather than an organizer.