Observer: Accepting Student Aspirations Proves Government Is Not Anti-Criticism

Executive Director of Kata Rakyat, Alwan Ola Riantobi, has assessed that President Prabowo Subianto’s administration is sufficiently democratic and not anti-criticism in the face of widespread student demonstrations. According to him, one clear indicator is the government’s willingness to accept and open a dialogue with the students. “Demonstrations are good for a democratic country. What needs to be appreciated from the government is its willingness to accept and open dialogue with the protesters. This shows that Mr Prabowo’s administration is democratic and not anti-criticism,” Alwan said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday. Alwan noted that the government’s openness is also evident in its willingness to listen to input from economic experts and the public in response to the weakening of the rupiah and the decline in the Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG). This was seen when fiscal and monetary policies were subsequently directed to address the root causes of the problem. “It must be understood that the weakening of the rupiah and the fall of the IHSG are due to various factors, such as global economic conditions, war, rising world interest rates, political uncertainty, or a domestic economic slowdown. Therefore, the government’s response is tailored to the main cause of the decline,” he stated. Alwan continued, the same applies to the programme that has drawn much attention from students, namely the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. Although it was a political promise, the President did not hesitate to conduct a major evaluation. “MBG is a form of Mr Prabowo’s commitment to fulfilling his campaign promise. If there are shortcomings in the implementation of MBG, the government immediately carries out mitigation and creates room for future improvement,” he said. Therefore, Alwan believes that the escalation of the student movement should decrease now that the government has committed to improving economic conditions. “Indeed, the escalation of student demonstrations also needs to be examined, whether their demands are based on in-depth studies and research. We hope there are no individuals riding on the student actions who wish to undermine the government. So, if the government has committed to improving and opening space for dialogue, the escalation of mass action should be reduced and stopped,” he said.