Palace Responds to Student Union Demands Regarding Rupiah Strengthening
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi stated that the government appreciates the aspirations and input from student groups demanding that the government immediately strengthen the rupiah exchange rate. However, he noted that Indonesia’s current economic challenges are not easy to overcome, as they are influenced by numerous global and domestic factors, he said at the DPR complex, Jakarta, on Monday, 8 June 2026.
He added that the government is working hard to resolve the problems surrounding the rupiah’s recent weakness. Prasetyo expressed optimism that the steps taken by the government would be able to address national economic issues. “Through close, intensive coordination and policies that reinforce one another, we are also providing certainty to business actors today,” said the Gerindra Party politician.
The ultimatum was issued by the Alliance of Student Executive Bodies across Indonesia (BEM SI) for the Central Java region. Several student groups have given the government an 18-day deadline to improve the rupiah’s value. Responding to this, Prasetyo stated that economic issues cannot be resolved within a specific timeframe, but he understands the demands as part of the students’ spirit to evaluate government performance. “The spirit serves as a motivation for all of us to work hard, especially in the economic sector,” Prasetyo said.
According to posts on the BEM SI and Story Rakyat Instagram accounts (@bem_si and @storyrakyat_) on Sunday, 7 June 2026, BEM SI Central Java has set an 18-day deadline for the government to fix the rupiah. This demand was also voiced during a protest in front of the Bank Indonesia Central Java representative office in Semarang on Friday, 5 June 2026. If the deadline passes, BEM SI threatens to organise a ‘Reformasi Jilid 2’ (Reform Part 2) demonstration.
Based on BEM SI’s social media updates, the alliance previously held a national consolidation on Thursday, 4 June 2026. The online meeting discussed the economic crisis hitting Indonesia, particularly the plummeting rupiah, which has fallen to the 18,000 level against the US dollar. Additionally, issues such as fiscal expansion, unemployment, and the rising cost of living were discussed.
Separately, the Chairman of the University of Indonesia Student Executive Body (BEM UI), Yatalathof Ma’shum Imawan, stated that BEM UI will hold a consolidation to respond to the recent economic and democratic conditions under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. He mentioned that BEM UI will conduct a focus group discussion (FGD) with student movements across UI before proceeding to a national consolidation. It has not yet been confirmed whether BEM UI will hold a protest in response to the current national situation amidst the falling rupiah.