Observer Says Gibran's Move to Involve Students in Working Visits Strengthens Public Participation
The move by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to invite several student representatives on working visits to Ende, Gorontalo, and Papua has received appreciation from academics. The involvement of this educated group is considered a bold new precedent to strengthen the space for dialogue and public information transparency.
Erdi, a political observer from Tanjungpura University (Untan) in West Kalimantan, noted that students are a relatively neutral and objective group when evaluating government development programmes. “What the Vice President is doing is very appropriate. Because the party that is very neutral in expressing opinions, speaking, and assessing performance is the student body. They are the educated groups that ought to be involved,” Erdi said on Friday (19/6/2026).
Erdi, who also serves as the Vice Dean III of FISIP Untan, added that this step simultaneously refutes the narrative claiming Vice President Gibran is “allergic” to criticism from intellectuals. “When the Vice President is willing to accept students, it is a bold step that perhaps has never happened in this country. Students, who are often in the midst of the turmoil of demonstrations, are embraced to speak, invited to dialogue, and their aspirations are absorbed,” he added.
Similarly, public policy expert and lecturer at FISIP Parahyangan Catholic University (Unpar), Kristian Widya Wicaksomo, views this method as effective in reducing the information gap between the government and the community, particularly regarding crucial issues such as land management policies in Papua. According to Kristian, students need to see empirical facts on the ground directly so they can provide balanced assessments rather than merely assuming based on a single information source.
“I believe this is an effort by the government to enable students to compare information obtained from various sources with the government’s version. This means the government is striving for a process of openness in this regard,” said Kristian.
The involvement of students in these working visits is believed to be a direct government response to the wave of aspirations from youth groups. One of the crucial issues recently voiced by students from various universities is the demand to halt the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme.
Responding to this, Vice President Gibran ensured that the government remains committed to continuously evaluating and improving the governance of national strategic programmes, including the MBG and the Red and White Village Cooperative (KDMP).
As a form of transparency, the Vice President brought five student representatives from various leading universities to monitor the working visits directly. The five students are Daffa Ulhaq (University of Indonesia/UI), Keletus Sakaro (Sanata Dharma University), Nolan Christoper Adam (Pelita Harapan University/UPH), Rapid Bena Matin (Jenderal Soedirman University/Unsoed), and Salsabila Maulida (Indonesian Institute of the Arts/ISBI).