Government Responds to Student Protests, Highlighting Five Key Issues
The government has responded to student demonstrations by reaffirming its commitment to follow up on public concerns relating to five main issues: the environment, the economy, education, legal reform and governance, and the protection of human rights and democracy.
Kurnia Ramadhana, deputy for partnerships and media relations at the Republic of Indonesia’s Government Communications Agency, said the government respects the expression of opinions as part of democratic life. He added that public concerns also provide input for evaluating policies and improving services to the public.
“The government respects and values students’ expression of their concerns, including through demonstrations, as part of efforts to sustain democracy,” he said in a statement quoted on Wednesday, 28 October 2026.
In the statement, the government outlined steps taken in response to the five issues. On the environment, it highlighted efforts to tackle forest and land fires. A total of 72,303 joint personnel were deployed across six provinces, alongside ground and aerial firefighting, patrols and weather modification. As of 25 October 2026, 244 individuals and 14 companies had been named suspects in cases related to the fires.
The government also said it had distributed Rp1.235 trillion in assistance to seven provinces and 35 affected regencies and municipalities. Health support included 5.3 million masks, as well as medical personnel and referral facilities.
On the economy, the government said Indonesia’s economy grew by 5.45 per cent in the first half of 2026. Investment realised between January and September 2026 totalled Rp1,539.2 trillion, generating around 2.19 million direct jobs.
Meanwhile, the national education budget rose from Rp757.82 trillion in the 2026 state budget to Rp824 trillion in the 2027 budget. The government said the funding would support school renovation, the digitalisation of learning, improved teacher welfare and education assistance for the public.
“The government recognises that economic growth needs to be accompanied by stronger purchasing power, better-quality jobs and more equal opportunities, so that the benefits of development are felt more widely,” he said.
On legal reform and governance, the government pointed to efforts to combat corruption and recover state assets. The Task Force for the Control of Forest Areas has reportedly recovered state finances totalling Rp52 trillion cumulatively. The government also supports the drafting of a law on the seizure of assets related to criminal offences, which is currently being discussed by the House of Representatives.