Selebgram Nabila Ishma posted an apology on Saturday on Instagram following widespread backlash over her social media comments comparing ministry payments for educational speakers versus high-tier influencers.
The controversy began on Threads, where Ishma questioned ministry budgets after reports surfaced regarding multi-billion rupiah promotional contracts awarded to RANS Entertainment. She argued that academic speakers conducting hours of research often receive minimal compensation, sometimes limited to transportation costs, while influencers secure massive payouts.
As the discussion widened beyond her initial intent, the 25-year-old public figure addressed the backlash directly.
“Melalui tulisan ini, saya ingin menyampaikan permohonan maaf atas opini yang sebelumnya saya sampaikan dan menjadi perbincangan di media sosial,” tulis Nabila Ishma, dikutip from her Instagram statement on Saturday, November 14, 2026, as reported by detikHot.
Ishma pointed out that while educational speakers prepare detailed presentations based on extensive research, their financial compensation often adheres strictly to standard honorarium limits or covers travel expenses only.
“Bukan masalah dia emang influencer top tier jadi harganya wajar segitu ya. Aku diundang jd pembicara sm kementerian sesuai expertise dan latar belakang pendidikan, bikin PPT hasil research berhari-hari, diminta ikut promosiin acara gratis, dibayarnya cuma bisa sesuai SBM kadang cuma transport doang karena gaada anggaran,” tulis Ishma on Threads, according to Grid.ID.
Reports from Jawa Pos noted that Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) previously highlighted multi-billion rupiah allocations across several ministries for promotional services tied to RANS Entertainment between 2024 and 2026.
“Pantes gaada, anggarannya habis buat bayar dia. Sedangkan kita yg bener-bener berdedikasi dan kasih dampak cuma dibayar seadanya. Ditambah ratecardnya tuh perdetik, which gawajar banget. Belum pernah liat ada ratecard perdetik. Apalagi yg nerimanya pejabat negara, jujur janggal?? Apakah ini korupsi berkedok promosi?” tulisnya, as cited by Demokratis.co.id.
Furthermore, she questioned the necessity of state institutions allocating significant budgets to secure high digital engagement. In her view, government agencies should prioritize core administrative duties rather than competing for massive public exposure through celebrity partnerships.
Following the rapid escalation of her remarks into broader political and social discourse, Ishma acknowledged that her delivery lacked necessary caution.
“Saya memperhatikan bahwa pembahasannya kini telah berkembang ke berbagai hal di luar konteks awal yang saya maksudkan. Terlepas dari itu, saya menyadari bahwa ada hal-hal yang seharusnya bisa saya sampaikan dengan lebih bijak dan hati-hati,” tulisnya on Instagram, according to cwibc.co.id.
“Hal ini menjadi pengingat sekaligus introspeksi bagi saya untuk lebih bertanggung jawab dalam menyampaikan pendapat, lebih berhati-hati dalam berucap, serta tetap menjadikan data dan konteks sebagai dasar menyampaikan sebuah opini,” pungkasnya, as documented by detikHot.
