October 20, 2025 | 12:27 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Alliance of Executive Boards of the Indonesian Student Senate (BEM SI) held a demonstration on Monday, October 20, 2025, to mark the first anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s administration.
The protest carried the theme “Indonesia Is Anxious” and featured the hashtags #1YearIsEnough and #1YearOfContinualProblems.
BEM SI Central Coordinator Muzammil Ihsan said the protest served as a reflection on a year of governance that, according to the group, has failed to side with the people.
“Many government policies have instead created new problems, deepened inequality, and eroded the quality of democracy,” Muzammil said on Monday.
Criticism of the MBG Program
One of the alliance’s main demands is a thorough evaluation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, which they say continues to face serious challenges in the field. BEM SI claims the program exposes the government’s lack of preparedness in terms of infrastructure, distribution, and budget oversight.
“The recent poisoning incidents linked to MBG show that the program’s implementation does not truly serve the people, but rather functions as a political project,” Muzammil stated.
Condemnation of Repressive Actions
The students also condemned what they described as repressive actions by security forces against demonstrators in recent protests. They called for the release of activists detained for voicing their aspirations and demanded an end to all forms of intimidation, violence, and criminalization targeting civilians, academics, and journalists.
“Repressive measures against the people’s movement are a setback for democracy,” Muzammil said.
Calls for Cabinet Evaluation and Reform
In terms of governance, BEM SI urged a comprehensive evaluation of the Red and White Cabinet and the dismissal of ministers deemed underperforming, particularly those responsible for the environment, energy and mineral resources, human rights, and forestry.
The group accused these ministries of failing to protect the environment and natural resources from exploitative practices.
Demands for Legislative and Education Reforms
The alliance also called for structural reforms within the legislature to eliminate transactional politics and ensure that parliament genuinely represents public interests.
In the education sector, they demanded equitable access to quality education, the full allocation of 20 percent of the state budget, and improved welfare for educators.
Questioning Defense Budget and Militarization
BEM SI further questioned the increase in defense and security spending amid the nation’s economic hardships. The group urged greater budget transparency and insisted that military involvement be limited strictly to national defense functions.
“Militarism in civilian life must be stopped,” Muzammil emphasized.
Environmental and Legal Demands
Other demands include halting the environmentally damaging food estate project, dissolving territorial military commands, and passing several pro-people bills, such as the Asset Seizure Bill, Household Card Bill, and Indigenous People’s Legal Community Bill.
They also urged the government to strengthen the enforcement of the Sexual Violence Crimes Law (UU TPKS) and ensure legal protection for victims.
Stance on Foreign Policy and People’s Welfare
On foreign affairs, BEM SI demanded that the government reaffirm its rejection of all normalization efforts with Israel and cut diplomatic ties with countries opposing Palestinian independence.
The group also called for tighter supervision of village cooperative programs and the implementation of People’s Mining Areas (WPR) to prevent harm to small communities.
“All these demands are for the welfare of the Indonesian people,” Muzammil concluded. “We urge the government to review its non-populist policies and realign the direction of national development.”
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