BEM SI Central Java Alliance Demands Rupiah Strengthening Within 18 Days
A number of student groups belonging to the Indonesian Student Executive Body (BEM SI) alliance in Central Java have issued an ultimatum to the government to strengthen the rupiah exchange rate. In a social media post shared by the BEM SI and Story Rakyat accounts on Sunday, 7 June 2026, BEM SI Central Java set an 18-day deadline for the government to improve the value of the rupiah. This demand was also voiced during a protest held in front of the Bank Indonesia Central Java representative office in Semarang on Friday, 5 June 2026. If the deadline passes, BEM SI intends to organise demonstrations titled ‘Reformasi Jilid 2’.
“If these demands are not met, they threaten to hold demonstrations titled Reformasi Jilid 2,” the collaborative post from BEM SI and Story Rakyat stated. The BEM SI alliance previously held a national consolidation on 4 June 2026, according to BEM SI’s Instagram updates. The online meeting addressed the economic crisis currently affecting Indonesia, specifically the declining rupiah exchange rate, which has plummeted to the Rp 18,000 mark against the US dollar. Additionally, the discussions covered fiscal expansion, unemployment, and the rising cost of living.
Central Coordinator of BEM SI, Muzammil Ihsan, has yet to respond to requests for confirmation regarding the specific details of the national consolidation results. Separately, the Chairman of the Student Executive Body at the University of Indonesia, Yatalathof Ma’shum Imawan, stated that BEM UI will conduct a consolidation to respond to the recent economic and democratic conditions under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. He noted that BEM UI will hold a focus group discussion (FGD) with student movements across the university, followed by a national consolidation. “On Monday, we will have an FGD to discuss national issues. Then, on Wednesday, there will be a national consolidation,” said Yatalathof. It remains unconfirmed whether BEM UI will organise protests in response to the current national situation amidst the falling rupiah.