February 16, 2025 | 09:54 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Executive Board of the University of Indonesia Student Senate (BEM UI) has expressed rejection of the government's policy on budget efficiency or budget cuts implemented by President Prabowo Subianto. According to BEM UI Chair Iqbal Chiesa, the policy is making the people's conditions even more difficult.
"We, as UI students, are distressed by the nation's current situation. There are too many policies being formed recklessly, and the people of Indonesia continue to suffer," said Iqbal in a video statement uploaded on BEM UI's official Instagram page on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
BEM UI demands Prabowo to immediately revoke Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1 of 2025, which stipulates budget cuts, as it is deemed to be unsupportive of the people. Additionally, BEM UI has made several other demands. These demands include revoking the discourse of granting mining management permits to campuses, urging the immediate disbursement of lecturers' wages, and evaluating the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
To press these demands, BEM UI's Vice Chair Defani Shafa Maharani stated that they will hold a rally tomorrow, Monday, February 17, 2025. Currently, BEM UI is coordinating and consolidating with several other campus student senates regarding the action plan for tomorrow.
"We are also communicating with other campuses regarding this upcoming mobilization," said Defani when contacted by Tempo on Sunday, February 16, 2025.
Based on the organization's official posts on their Instagram page, BEM UI has issued a call for tomorrow's action. The gathering point for the action will start from the FISIP UI Field. Meanwhile, the action's location will be announced later. "The location of the action is currently being discussed with others," said Defina.
The call for rejection of the budget cuts policy implemented by Prabowo can also be seen from several other student organization posts. From Tempo's observation, the Instagram accounts of the Airlangga University Student Senate (Unair) and the All-Indonesian Student Senate (SI) have also issued invitations for the demonstration tomorrow.
According to information received by Tempo, a grand consolidation concerning the technicalities of tomorrow's actions will be held tonight at the YLBHI Building.
President Prabowo targets that the efficiency of ministry and institution budgets in 2025 can save the country up to Rp306.69 trillion. He stated that the government will use the funds from the budget cuts to finance the Free Nutritious Meal program. The Chair of the Gerindra Party mentioned that as much as Rp24 trillion will be allocated for the continuation of the MBG.
"I am forced to use Rp24 trillion for the Free Nutritious Meal. Our people, our children, should not go hungry," said Prabowo during a speech at the 17th Anniversary Celebration of the Gerindra Party at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Bogor, West Java, on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
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