May Day Crowd Protests at DIY DPRD, Demands Workers' Wages Raised to Rp 6 Million

Workers from various sectors and students, representing the Aliansi Mei Melawan (AMEL) alliance, commemorated Labour Day in front of the DIY DPRD building on Malioboro. They presented several demands during this action.

Observations from detikJogja showed that the crowd began gathering at the former Abu Bakar Ali Parking Garden around 2:00 PM WIB. They then conducted a long march to the DIY DPRD on Jalan Malioboro.

Upon arriving in front of the DPRD, the crowd unfurled banners and posters reading ‘Stop and Prevent Layoffs’ to ‘Raise Workers’ Wages’. They also used an open truck bed as a platform for speeches.

AMEL spokesperson Rival Umbu Djawa stated that issues concerning workers and education were raised by the protesters. The living needs (KHL) of workers remain a serious concern.

“We assembled a small research team that operated in markets to analyse the appropriate wage based on KHL. The living needs are around Rp 6 million,” Rival explained during the action on Friday (1/5/2026).

In the education sector, the protesters assessed that education costs are becoming increasingly expensive. This is especially true with budget cuts to education redirected to the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme.

“The education budget, which should be around 20 percent of the APBN or approximately Rp 750 trillion, is not fully allocated to education services. The largest portion is instead allocated to MBG, for example, around Rp 223 trillion,” Rival elaborated.

The goal of MBG, said to address stunting, is not that simple according to Rival. This is because high stunting rates are more due to low purchasing power among the public.

“Why is the public’s purchasing power low? It is inseparable from expensive education budgets and wages far from KHL,” Rival stated.

“When the education budget is cut again and allocated to MBG, let alone for stunting. People may not be able to afford food because they must cover education costs,” he concluded.

After delivering speeches in turns, the crowd dispersed orderly starting at 5:00 PM WIB.