Following Four Protests, Mualem Revokes Aceh Health Insurance Regulation

Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf, popularly known as Mualem, has revoked Governor Regulation (Pergub) Number 2 of 2026 concerning the Aceh Health Insurance (JKA) after facing four separate demonstrations by groups under the Aceh People’s Alliance (ARA).

Previously, ARA protesters staged waves of demonstrations against the regulation, protesting the limitation of free healthcare services based on wealth-based groupings (deciles). They argued that many low-income residents were no longer covered by the government since the regulation’s implementation on 1 May 2026.

Following public pressure, Mualem ended the controversy surrounding the JKA regulation by revoking it. He stated that the people of Aceh can now access medical treatment as usual without decile-based restrictions.

“All people of Aceh can seek medical treatment as usual. We are accommodating the aspirations of various components of Acehnese society, including religious scholars and academics,” said Mualem following a coordination meeting regarding the regulation in Banda Aceh on Monday (18/5).

Mualem requested that all residents of Aceh proceed to hospitals as they normally would, noting that medical costs will be covered by the JKA scheme for those eligible under the JKA framework. “Therefore, there are no more decile restrictions,” he added.

Following the revocation, ARA protesters demonstrated again to demand the official revocation letter be presented to the public this Monday. ARA coordinator Aulia Habibi emphasised that their action was to ensure the regulation was officially revoked with administrative clarity.

“Our reason for protesting was not to be used for political riding; there is no such thing. However, we must emphasise that the revocation of the regulation must not be done without an official report. That is what we must ensure,” said Aulia after the protest in front of the Aceh Governor’s Office on Monday.

Aulia noted that the protesters had previously requested Mualem to meet them directly. However, despite four protests and two nights spent camping out, this request remained unfulfilled.

“The reason we protested is that today we requested the Governor of Aceh to meet the protesters. It is very unfortunate that despite multiple protests, including today when the regulation was revoked, there was no result because Mualem did not meet us,” he said.

He added that further actions would continue to assert that these demands represent the aspirations of the Acehnese people. ARA has also organised a petition as concrete evidence of public support for the revocation of the JKA regulation. He concluded that while the governor did not meet the protesters, the revocation remains a victory for the community.