Bundaran HI Protest Demands: Stop Free Meal Programme and Village Cooperatives
A coalition of university students held a demonstration at the Bundaran HI roundabout in Jakarta today, Friday, 12 June 2026, bringing at least five demands to the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, including the cessation of the free nutritious meal programme (MBG) and the Kopdes Merah Putih village cooperatives. The protest, titled ‘Towards a Bankrupt Indonesia’, was organised by an alliance of Student Executive Bodies (BEM) from the University of Indonesia (UI), IPB University, Politeknik Negeri Jakarta, Universitas Pancasila, Universitas Gunadarma, as well as student organisations such as the National Student Front and the Progressive Student Union (Semar UI).
BEM UI Chairperson Yatalathof Ma’shum Imawan outlined five key demands. The first is for the government to halt what they describe as wasteful spending of the State Budget (APBN). The second is to lower the prices of staple goods and fuel. ‘Third, stop the free nutritious meal programme and the construction of Kopdes Merah Putih village cooperatives,’ Athof stated on Thursday, 11 June 2026. The fourth demand calls for an end to militarism in the civilian sphere. ‘Finally, Prabowo must stop evading and admit the government’s mistakes,’ he said.
According to Athof, Indonesia’s current economic and political conditions are dire, citing rising rice prices, shrinking employment opportunities, and the public’s difficulty in paying taxes. ‘What is the government doing? Busy polishing its image while distributing projects to cronies,’ he remarked. He argued that economic growth is only visible on paper, whilst conditions on the people’s dining tables remain difficult. Athof stressed that today’s action is not about political differences, but about who is truly being harmed: the people. ‘We believe we have given too much time and too many chances. Because criticism through data has also been repeatedly conveyed and always ignored. Moreover, the government chooses to evade rather than take responsibility,’ Athof said.