TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of students from various student organizations in South Sumatra swarmed the regional representatives' office (DPRD) to protest what they referred to as unfavorable policies. The students raised a symbolic "red card" against the government during the protest on Monday, June 15, 2026.
The demonstration today was marked by alternating speeches from student representatives, who raised several issues, including fuel price hikes and scarcity in South Sumatra, reduced regional transfer funds (TKD) in South Sumatra, the free nutritious meals (MBG) program, the Red and White Village Cooperative, and the ratification of the Asset Seizure Bill.
The South Sumatra Coordinator of the Nusantara Student Executive Board (BEM Nusantara), Ilham, said the students brought a "red card" to symbolize a stern warning to the government.
"It is no longer a yellow card today. We are giving a red card to the central government, DPR, and all parties deemed to have failed to address the people's hardship," said Ilham.
According to him, various national policies are directly affecting the people of South Sumatra. He cited long queues for fuel in several areas, the reduced fiscal capacity of the region due to the reduction of TKD, and concerns regarding the implementation of the MBG program and the Red and White Village Cooperative.
The students then read out a document they referred to as the "Asta Cita Mahasiswa Sumsel," (South Sumatra Students' Asta Cita), comprising eight demands. Among them are the stabilization of basic commodity prices, rejecting fuel price surges, stabilization of the rupiah, Assez Seizure Bill approval, and condemning military involvement in civil spaces.
They also asked for the South Sumatra DPRD to convey the students' demands to the central government and the House of Representatives (DPR).
DPRD Speaker Andie Dinialdie, who met the protesters, expressed his appreciation for the "peaceful and orderly" protest by the students today.
"We are committed to relay the students' aspirations to the relevant authorities," he said, adding that the demands raised by the protesters today fall under the central government's authorities.
Thus, the South Sumatra DPRD is not authorized to make direct changes based on the demands. Nevertheless, the regional council, he said, is open to student representatives to participate in overseeing the delivery of the aspirations to the central government.
The dialogue turned intense when the students requested the regional council to take a firmer stance on several problematic government programs—including the free nutritious meal and the village cooperative programs.
The Secretary of the Gerindra Faction of the South Sumatra DPRD, Abdullah Taufiq, acknowledged that the region's fiscal condition is under pressure due to reduced TKD. "We are short of about Rp1.8 trillion in TKD and are seeking various sources of regional income to cover this shortfall," he said.
Meanwhile, on fuel scarcity, Abdullah explained that the issue is linked to the gap between national oil supply and demand.
The regional council also expressed readiness to oversee both the free meal and cooperative programs, vowing to call out any irregularities found.
The protest concluded after the students handed over the demands to the South Sumatra DPRD. Before dispersing, the protesters reaffirmed that they will continue to oversee the government's response to the eight demands they presented.
"We will continue to monitor. If there is no change, the students will take to the streets again," said one of the protesters.
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