DPR Receives Student Protesters for Audience at Parliament

Jakarta - Leaders of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) received an audience with student representatives who had been staging a protest in front of the parliament complex on Jalan Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, since Friday evening. Among the DPR leaders receiving them were Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Deputy Speaker Saan Mustopa. The student representatives were received in the Abdul Muis Room in the Nusantara Building, also known as the ‘turtle building’. “We will wait to hear what they have to say,” Saan Mustopa stated before entering the meeting room. The students came from Trisakti University, Esa Unggul University, Mercubuana University, and the Islamic Students Association (HMI). They were allowed into the DPR building at around 17:45 WIB. In addition to the DPR leadership, several members of parliament were also present to accompany the meeting, including Commission III Chairman Habiburokhman, Commission III Deputy Chairman Rano Alfath, and the Chairman of the DPR’s Court of Honour, Nazaruddin Dek Gam. The students’ demands included: 1. Restoring the economy and politics: Urging a reduction in staple food and fuel prices, and an end to all forms of state budget waste. 2. Eradicating incompetence: Demanding a total evaluation of problematic government programmes and improved public communication. 3. Returning civilian supremacy: Firmly rejecting the Polri Law, stopping repressive actions by security forces in civilian spheres, and rejecting National Strategic Projects that seize people’s rights.