TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The University of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM UI) has hit back at the Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief, who claimed that law enforcement had not received an official notification regarding the "Menuju Indonesia Bangkrut" (Towards Indonesia's Bankruptcy) demonstration held at Bundaran HI, Central Jakarta, on June 12, 2026.
The Chairperson of BEM UI, Yatalathof Ma'shum Imawan, maintained that the right to demonstrate is fundamentally protected under the 1945 Constitution. "So, it already complies with the constitution, and a notification is merely an administrative formality," Yatalathof, or familiarly known as Athof, told Tempo on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
Athof clarified that the student alliance had indeed sent a formal notification letter to the Central Jakarta Police via WhatsApp and had even received an initial response.
Furthermore, Athof questioned the police’s assertion that the BEM UI alliance’s actions bypassed legal procedures. Instead, he turned the tables on law enforcement, questioning the logic behind forcing demonstrators toward the House of Representatives (DPR) building.
"Why did the police force a demonstration at the House? That is quite absurd, isn't it? Not to mention blocking us from holding a Friday prayer gathering in Dukuh Atas. Enough, Pak—you say A, but the reality [on the ground] is always B. Public trust in you is bankrupt, Pak," he remarked.
In contrast, the Central Jakarta Metro Police claimed that the rally organized by BEM UI alongside several campus factions at the HI Roundabout area was executed without an official notification letter being physically submitted to the police.
Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief, Grand Commissioner Reynold E.P. Hutagalung, stated that his office did receive early information regarding the planned protest via a WhatsApp message containing a PDF copy of a notification letter from a UI student on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at approximately 02:56 a.m. "However, when follow-up communication was attempted on Friday morning, the message went completely unanswered," Reynold noted in a written statement issued on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
According to Reynold, Article 10 of Law No. 9 of 1998 concerning Freedom of Expression in Public dictates that notifications for public rallies must be personally delivered by the coordinator of the event directly to the police. The statute requires that the local police command receive the notification letter no later than 72 hours before the commencement of the event.
"According to the regulations, the individual in charge of the activity is obligated to directly deliver the notification letter to the police. Right up until the demonstration took place, we never received an official notification letter," he explained.
Despite the procedural dispute, the Central Jakarta Metro Police deployed security personnel to the site to ensure that the demonstration of aspirations proceeded in a peaceful and orderly manner.
"We continue to provide security and public service. Expressing opinions in public is the right of citizens, but its execution must comply with existing regulations to maintain a stable environment," Reynold said.
Ultimately, the crowds from the BEM UI staged their protest in front of the Thamrin Nine Ballroom in Central Jakarta on Friday, June 12, 2026. The alliance was compelled to rally at that specific location after being blocked from their original destination by a joint force of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) personnel.
BEM UI brought forward five demands, including a halt to the misuse of the state budget, a reduction in the prices of basic commodities and fuel, and the cancellation of both the free nutritious meal program (MBG) and the expansion of the Red and White Village Cooperative. They also demanded an end to militarism within civilian spheres, and finally, insisted that Prabowo stop evading accountability and acknowledge government shortcomings.
The student movement participating in the rally comprised the broader BEM UI alliance, consisting of the central BEM UI and 15 faculty-level student executive bodies, alongside BEM KM IPB, BEM PNJ, BEM Pancasila University, the BEM Gunadarma Alliance, FMN Pusat, FMN UI, Pembebasan, and Semar UI.
Hendrik Yaputra contributed to this article
Read: Jakarta Denies Banning Student Protest at HI Roundabout
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