Hundreds of Indonesian students and civil society groups staged demonstrations in Jakarta and other cities on Wednesday, 28 October, calling on President Prabowo Subianto’s administration to address forest fires, review government spending and improve public services.
The demonstrations coincided with Indonesia’s Youth Pledge Day, known as Sumpah Pemuda, and were centred on the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI) in Central Jakarta. The protests also reflected growing concerns over the government’s handling of environmental issues and its broader policy priorities.
The demonstrations were organised under the theme ‘Tepati atau Pergi’ (‘Keep Your Promises or Leave’) by Komite Sadar, a coalition of student organisations, including the University of Indonesia (UI), Universitas Pembangunan Nasional ‘Veteran’ Yogyakarta, Universitas Brawijaya and Universitas Diponegoro.
The rally was a continuation of an earlier demonstration held at Tugu Tani in Jakarta on 20 October, marking the second anniversary of Prabowo and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s administration.
Forest Fires and Government Spending at the Centre of Protests
The demonstrations came as Indonesia faced its worst forest fires and resulting haze in 11 years. The fires, exacerbated by the El Niño weather pattern and vulnerable peatlands, have contributed to respiratory illnesses and air pollution in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.
At the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia, some demonstrators wore gas masks and carried signs demanding that the government declare the fires a national disaster. Protesters also displayed images of orangutans affected by the fires and raised concerns about the impact of the blazes on wildlife.
Anggi Aurien, 28, who had been wearing a gas mask for three hours during the demonstration, told Reuters: “Animals don’t have a mind of their own. If we kill them, what’s the difference between us and them?”
Another demonstrator, Ezra Al Barra, a student from Universitas Padjadjaran, described the fires as “our collective anger”.
The five demands put forward by Komite Sadar included declaring the forest fires in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua a national disaster, prosecuting corporations responsible for ecological damage, and improving land governance through the implementation of a one-map policy.
The coalition also called for the government to manage the state budget in the public interest, including stopping programmes it considers ineffective, such as the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) initiative and the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (KDMP).
Komite Sadar argued that the MBG programme had been allocated Rp240 trillion in the 2027 draft state budget, accounting for 29% of the education budget. It also raised concerns that the KDMP programme could restrict village funds needed to meet basic public needs.
Other demands included reducing education costs, improving public services, creating quality employment opportunities, addressing corruption, collusion and nepotism, and protecting freedom of expression.
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Students Call for Civil Liberties and Government Accountability
The coalition further urged the government to prosecute human rights violators and end the militarisation of civilian spaces.
According to BBC Indonesia, in its statement, Komite Sadar said: “The law is instead being undermined and used to serve the interests of those in power. The public can see legislation being passed without meaningful public participation and clearly perpetuating KKN (corruption, collusion, and nepotism) practices.”
The group also called for the restoration of freedom of expression and an end to what it described as the use of the law to suppress criticism.
The three-finger salute, popularised by The Hunger Games, became a prominent symbol during the demonstrations. BEM UI described the gesture as having transformed into a straightforward instrument of resistance that transcends the boundaries of fiction.
“The use of this symbol is our shared identity to strengthen our ranks, both on the streets and in digital activism.”
Similar demonstrations took place in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Bandung, West Java. In Jakarta, some students, including those from UI, were blocked by police and military personnel, leading to several scuffles.
The government’s communications office said it welcomed students’ input. It also stated that authorities had prosecuted companies linked to the fires, provided assistance to affected provinces and continued monitoring the situation.
The protests were the second major demonstration in a week against Prabowo’s administration, amid declining approval ratings reported by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting.
