TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Executive Board of the All-Indonesia Student Association (BEM SI) is organizing a movement entitled Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia) which will take place from Monday, February 17, 2025, to Wednesday, February 19, 2025. The demonstrations will be carried out in various regions, including Jakarta, Bandung, Lampung, Surabaya, Malang, Samarinda, Banjarmasin, Aceh, and Bali. The grand demo series is planned to take place on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
The demonstrations, which will last until February 18 and 19, aim to demand accountability from the government for a number of policies by President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, in their first 100 days of work which are considered to be not in favor of the people, especially in the education and welfare sectors for academics.
The Coordinator of the Executive Board of BEM SI, Satria Naufal Putra Ansar, emphasizes that this action is a reaction to various problems faced by students and the public due to government policies that are considered to be off target. "For us, Indonesia Gelap already quite represents the fears, concerns, and the welfare of the people," he said when contacted by Tempo on Monday, February 17, 2025.
The Executive Board of the Gadjah Mada University Student Family (BEM KM UGM) stated that they will join the mass movement involving students and the public in Yogyakarta on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
In a written statement conveyed on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, the Chairperson of BEM KM UGM, Tiyo Ardianto, asserts that they will still participate in the movement even though they are in a transition period of leadership.
"BEM KM UGM, despite being in a transition period, will merge into the joint action with the public and students in Yogyakarta, which will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2025," he said.
Tiyo assesses that the government's policies, especially the Free Nutritious Meals, are carried out without adequate academic studies and instead result in budget cuts in essential sectors. "I believe that President Prabowo must realize that these reckless cuts should not be made just to fulfill the political promise of a program that has not undergone sufficient academic studies," he said.
Tiyo also urges the government not to hesitate to evaluate or even cancel the program if it proves to be detrimental to other more fundamental sectors. "We call for a total evaluation of the Free Nutritious Meals program, there is no need to be ashamed to consider cancellation. And let's return to the fundamental things that Indonesia has promised since independence, one of which is to enlighten the life of the nation," he said.
In addition, BEM KM UGM also highlights the use of the term 'efficiency' by the government in the context of budget management. According to Tiyo, efficiency is indeed necessary, especially in cutting ceremonial expenses and non-substantial matters. However, if budget cuts target the education, health, facilities, and public services sectors, then it is worthy of resistance.
"If the budget that concerns the livelihood of the people such as education, health, facilities, and public services is also being undermined, then it is more appropriate to call it reckless budget cuts and therefore must be resisted," he said.
The Indonesia Gelap movement to be held in Yogyakarta is predicted to be attended by various student and public elements. Up to now, the action points will be further announced.
President Prabowo Subianto previously issued Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2025 concerning Expenses Efficiency in the Implementation of the 2025 State Budget and Regional Budget as an effort to save the budget. Through this policy, he targets that ministry and agency-level efficiency can save the state budget by Rp306.69 trillion.
One of the ministries affected by budget cuts is the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek). The Secretary-General of Kemendiktisaintek, Togar M. Simatupang, revealed that his ministry experienced a budget reduction of Rp22.5 trillion from the total budget allocation of 2025, which reached Rp57.6 trillion.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati explained that the budget cuts also include State University Operational Aid (BOPTN). However, she emphasized that the reduction is more focused on non-essential expenditures, such as official trips, seminars, stationery, and ceremonial activities.
"The government will continue to closely examine the operational budget of state universities to ensure that they are not affected by budget cuts, so they can continue to carry out their higher education duties," she said.
Sapto Yunus, Mega Putri Mahadewi, and Hendrik Khoirul Muhid contributed to the writing of this article.
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