Cilegon City Government Opens Space for Student Aspirations Through Merdeka Bicara Forum
The Cilegon City Government has once again demonstrated its commitment to opening spaces for public participation through the Merdeka Bicara forum, held at Paradiso Garden Cafe on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.
Merdeka Bicara serves as a platform for open dialogue between the local government and Cilegon students to directly convey aspirations, criticisms, and suggestions to policymakers. One of the key topics discussed was the issue of women’s and children’s protection.
One of the student representatives present, Sarinah Hani from GMNI Cilegon City, expressed her aspirations and concerns. Sarinah highlighted the security emergency situation in Cilegon City due to the prevalence of reported sexual harassment cases. She emphasised the importance of serious action from all parties to address the issue comprehensively. “Cilegon is currently in a security emergency regarding sexual harassment cases. We hope for concrete and firm steps from the government and law enforcement to prevent these cases from recurring,” she stated.
In addition, Sarinah questioned the existence and accessibility of the Women’s and Children’s Protection Office (PPA), so that the public, especially victims, can easily access counselling and protection services.
She also spotlighted the condition of child-friendly parks in Cilegon City, which she assessed as not yet fully meeting safety standards. According to her, there are still various damaged facilities and infrastructure, a lack of breastfeeding-friendly facilities, and instances of smoking activities in areas that should be safe spaces for children. “There must be more serious supervision and improvements, because child-friendly parks should truly be safe, comfortable, and healthy spaces for children,” she asserted.
Furthermore, Sarinah touched on the recently enacted Domestic Workers Protection Law (UU PPRT) and urged optimal socialisation and implementation at the local level.
Besides women’s and children’s protection issues, infrastructure problems and improvements in education quality were also highlighted. Cilegon Mayor Robinsar explained that for women’s and children’s protection, his administration has coordinated with relevant parties to accelerate handling.
“Regarding cases of violence and harassment, we have coordinated with law enforcement agencies, both police and prosecutors, to open communication channels and speed up handling through DP3AKB and the PPA unit,” he clarified.
In the infrastructure sector, the Cilegon City Government continues to improve drainage, address flooding, and develop child-friendly parks. Meanwhile, in the education sector, the government has optimised budgets from both the Regional Budget (APBD) and CSR funds from industries.
In addition, Robinsar outlined an innovative agriculture programme that will soon be implemented. This programme includes the use of superior seeds projected to significantly increase harvest productivity. “We invite students interested in agriculture to participate in this programme as a form of collaboration to promote regional food security,” he added.
Furthermore, Robinsar stated that around 70 percent of the aspirations voiced by students are essentially already included in planning or in the implementation stage of the local government’s programmes. “This forum is not a platform for self-defence, but a space to report progress and strengthen two-way communication,” he emphasised.
On the other hand, Deputy Mayor of Cilegon Fajar Hadi Prabowo appreciated the high enthusiasm of students in this event. “This Merdeka Bicara shows very high enthusiasm, evident from the numerous questions and inputs provided. This indicates the students’ great concern for the development of Cilegon City,” he said.
The presence of this forum is proof that the Cilegon City Government is open to constructive criticism. Through dialogue spaces like Merdeka Bicara, the government seeks to build more transparent and participatory two-way communication with students as part of the community.