MBG Daily Funds Could Finance 100 Research Projects Per Year
Various mass elements united under the Majelis Pekerja Buruh Indonesia (MPBI) in the Special Region of Yogyakarta packed the Zero Kilometre Point in Yogyakarta to commemorate International Labour Day or May Day on Friday, 1 May 2026.
Tempo’s observations noted that the action titled ‘Mei Melawan’ received tight escort from police apparatus. Representatives from the Gadjah Mada Workers’ Union also attended the May Day commemoration, voicing the aspirations of academics regarding current welfare conditions and education policies.
One of the orators at the action, Primi Suharmadi, a lecturer at UGM’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences and a member of the Gadjah Mada Workers’ Union, expressed his concern over the lecturers’ workload, which he deemed beyond reason.
‘Comrades in labour, although the lecturer profession often appears prestigious, our work is actually beyond reason,’ Primi said in his oration.
He explained that lecturers currently work without clear time boundaries due to a coercive system. ‘We have to work 24 hours, not only teaching, preparing teaching materials, correcting, researching, but also conducting community service outside normal working hours,’ Primi stated in his oration.
Unfortunately, amid these conditions, Primi said, it is worsened by low welfare levels. Many lecturers’ salaries and incentives are still below the district minimum wage (UMK).
This economic situation forces lecturers to seek side jobs, ultimately eroding rest time and time for domestic affairs, especially for female lecturers who must manage household duties.
In addition to personal welfare issues, Primi highlighted the government’s policy on the free nutritious meal (MBG) programme, which he believes impacts budget cuts in higher education.
He explained that many funds from the Directorate General of Higher Education (Dikti) are being streamlined and redirected to finance the MBG programme.
This results in limited research quotas for educators across Indonesia. Primi provided a stark comparison of the government allocation for the programme.
‘The budget for one day of MBG implementation, reaching Rp1 trillion, could actually finance 100 research projects for 100 lecturers for a full year,’ he said.
The impact of this budget reallocation often leaves lecturers demotivated midway through their research and scientific publications.
Primi also pointed out the loss of supporting incentives that once existed, such as incentives for language translation for international journal publications.
Currently, he said, access to research funds has become highly competitive and limited to certain sectors only, so not all lecturers have equal opportunities to obtain them.
Primi emphasised that their demands are numerous because current research conditions tend to stagnate due to the lack of clear incentives amid increasingly heavy workloads.
May Day Action Demands
Coordinator of MPBI DIY, Irsyad Ade Irawan, stated that there are at least nine demands voiced to the government. ‘First, we urge the enactment of a new Labour Law without the Omnibus Law, which must favour workers,’ he said.
The second demand is rejection of the cheap outsourcing system accompanied by demands to abolish cheap wages or hostum.
Third, rejecting threats of termination due to global war impacts and import policies. Fourth, demanding tax reforms including the abolition of taxes on holiday allowances, annual bonuses, old-age security, and pension guarantees.
Fifth, accelerating agrarian reform by establishing the Agrarian Reform Implementing Agency. Sixth, urging the enactment of the Asset Seizure Bill.
Seventh, ratifying International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the world of work. Eighth, reducing online motorcycle taxi fare deductions to a maximum of ten percent. Finally, they demand the provision of decent housing for all workers.
At this 2026 May Day action, Irsyad also stated that it is not only a platform for wage demands but also a crucial space for advocating women’s workers’ rights.
He condemned the failure to implement menstrual leave policies, which are still often ignored by many companies.
‘Although menstrual leave for female workers is legally guaranteed by law, the facts on the ground show a contradictory reality,’ he said.
According to him, many companies treat this constitutional right as if it were an ‘optional’ facility that can be given or not.
He noted that many female workers ultimately do not dare to take their leave due to negative stigma, threats of incentive cuts, and fear of being seen as disloyal to the company.
This condition, according to Irsyad, is a real indicator of how weak the current labour supervision system is. ‘MPBI views menstrual leave not as an additional facility, but as a basic right directly related to reproductive health and women’s workplace safety,’ he said.