TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Student groups led by the University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI) plan to stage a protest in central Jakarta on Friday, June 12, under the banner #Indonesiamenujubangkrut (Indonesia Heading Toward Bankruptcy), calling on the government to address economic challenges and review several key policies.
The demonstration, organized jointly by BEM UI, the Alliance of Student Senates, and several activist organizations, is scheduled to take place at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout.
BEM UI chairperson Yatalathof Ma’shum Imawan said the protest reflects growing concerns over the country’s economic conditions and public welfare.
“The economy may be growing on paper, but many Indonesians are not feeling the benefits in their daily lives,” Yatalathof said on Thursday, June 11.
He argued that rising living costs, limited employment opportunities, and increased tax burdens have added pressure on households, while public concerns about government accountability remain unresolved.
Yatalathof said the planned rally is not driven by political differences but by concerns over policies that students believe are negatively affecting the wider public.
He also criticized several government policies, including tax measures affecting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), state spending priorities, and what he described as growing military influence in civilian institutions.
According to the organizers, participants will gather at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) field on the University of Indonesia campus before heading to the protest site.
The coalition includes BEM UI and student councils from 15 UI faculties, as well as student organizations from several other universities, including Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Jakarta State Polytechnic (PNJ), Pancasila University, and Gunadarma University. Additional groups are expected to confirm their participation ahead of the rally.
Five Demands to Be Raised at the Protest
Organizers said the demonstration will focus on five key demands: reducing what they describe as inefficient state spending, lowering prices of basic commodities and fuel, halting the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program and the Red and White Village Cooperatives initiative, ending military involvement in civilian affairs, and urging President Prabowo Subianto’s administration to acknowledge and address policy shortcomings.
The protest comes amid growing student activism and public debate over the government’s economic and social policies.
Read: Which Campuses Join ‘Towards Indonesia Bankruptcy’ Rally on June 12?
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