Students from Universitas Indonesia gathered in a protest against Prabowo Subianto’s government policies on June 12, 2026. (SEA Daily/Muttaqin)
On June 12, more than 1,000 Indonesian students held a protest against economic policies implemented under President Prabowo Subianto’s government. In Jakarta, demonstrations were mostly organised by the Student Executive Board of Universitas Indonesia (BEM UI) through a national consolidation on June 10, titled Indonesia is Heading toward Bankruptcy (Menuju Indonesia Bangkrut)” took place in Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, one of Jakarta’s principal arterial road.
The students put forward five demands during the protest. First, they called on the government to stop what they described as wasteful spending of state funds . Second, they urged the government to lower fuel prices and the cost of daily necessities, following the increase in the price of Pertamax, Indonesia’s non-subsidised RON 92 gasoline. Third, they demanded the cancellation of President Prabowo Subianto’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and the suspension of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives initiative, arguing that both programmes constituted an inefficient use of state resources.
Fourth, the students called for an end to militarism in the civilian sphere, as the Indonesian House of Representatives accepted a revised version of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) Law permitting high-ranking officers to hold positions in civilian institutions. Finally, they urged President Prabowo Subianto to stop deflecting responsibility and acknowledge the government’s mistakes.
Students from IPB University joining the barricade line with other protesters. (SEA Daily/Muttaqin)
As the students made their way to Bundaran HI, the main protest site, their buses were stopped several times by police barricades. After being prevented from proceeding by bus, they continued on foot, marching nearly five kilometres from Semanggi to Bundaran HI, only to be blocked once again by police and military barricades.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police stated that Bundaran HI is not a designated location for public demonstrations. However, according to BEM UI, they had already submitted a formal notice to hold the protest at the landmark. The authorities had also posted traffic advisories on their official social media accounts, warning the public about possible congestion caused by the demonstration.
The authorities efforts raised questions among the public about inconsistency and was seen by some as part of a broader pattern of democratic backsliding, in which the public’s ability to freely express their aspirations is increasingly constrained, as the protest had been acknowledged in advance but access to the site was later blocked.
“I think the deployment of thousands of personnel and tactical vehicles shows that the authorities were already aware of the students’ plans, as we did not act in secret,” said Nathanael Felix, Chair of the Student Representative Council of the Faculty of Humanities (DPM FIB UI) , Universitas Indonesia. “We carried out the protest legally, in accordance with the law.”
Bivitri Susanti (left), a high-profile academician and lecturer at Sekolah Tinggi Hukum Indonesia Jentera, joins students and fellow civilians in the protest. (SEA Daily/Muttaqin)
Since taking office in October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto’s administration has faced mounting criticism over a weakening rupiah, a sharp decline in the Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG), government excessive foreign trips, repeated reports of food poisoning linked to the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and rising fuel prices despite the decline in global oil prices.
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