BEM UI Issues Five Demands in 'Indonesia Towards Bankruptcy' Protest
The University of Indonesia’s Student Executive Board (BEM UI), together with the BEM Alliance and various organisations, will stage a demonstration titled #Indonesiamenujubangkrut (Indonesia Towards Bankruptcy) at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout on Friday, 12 June 2026. BEM UI Chairman Yatalathof Ma’shum Imawan stated that the reality facing Indonesia is an economy that only grows on paper, whilst nothing changes on the people’s dining tables. “The price of rice is rising, job opportunities are shrinking, and the people are dying under the burden of taxes. Meanwhile, the government busies itself with polishing its own image while handing out projects to cronies,” said the student, known as Athof, on Thursday, 11 June 2026.
Athof stressed that this is not a matter of political differences, but about who is truly being harmed, and the answer, he said, is all Indonesian people. “We have tried giving them opportunities and time for far too long. Criticism via data has also been conveyed and is always ignored. Moreover, the government chooses to evade responsibility rather than be accountable,” Athof said.
While the people are being strangled by MSME taxes through Government Regulation (PP) 20/2026, Athof continued, the government is actually cancelling mineral and coal royalties for oligarchs. “While the younger generation applies for jobs with no certainty, the state budget leaks into programmes with unclear results. While campuses should be spaces for free thought, militarism is deliberately being infiltrated into them,” he added.
According to him, the social contract between the state and the people is currently being torn apart piece by piece, day by day. “It is all this that compels us to take to the streets,” he declared. BEM UI and the UI-wide BEM alliance will gather at the FISIP UI Field on Friday, 12 June 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time. “As for the detailed plan regarding how many will turn out, it will still be discussed at tonight’s technical field meeting; only after that can the number of protesters be confirmed,” Athof disclosed.
Athof further added that the alliance currently agreeing to join includes the UI-wide BEM alliance (BEM UI and the 15 Faculty BEMs at UI), BEM KM IPB, BEM PNJ, BEM Pancasila University, the Gunadarma BEM Alliance, FMN Central, FMN UI, Pembebasan, and Semar UI. “Several organisations and movement hubs that participated in the national consolidation at UI Campus yesterday are still confirming their attendance and estimated numbers at tonight’s meeting,” he said.
Athof stated there are five demands to be voiced tomorrow: stop state budget wastage, lower essential goods and fuel prices, halt the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG) and the construction of Koperasi Desa Merah Putih (Red and White Village Cooperatives). “Stop militarism in the civilian sphere, and finally, Prabowo must stop evading and acknowledge the government’s mistakes.”