Six Demands of UNS Students on Reform Anniversary

Students from various universities across Indonesia staged a demonstration to mark the 28th anniversary of Reform on Thursday, 21 May 2026. Among them was the UNS Student Alliance (Aliansi Mahasiswa Universitas Sebelas Maret). They protested outside the Surakarta City Council (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah, DPRD Kota Surakarta). In their banners and speeches, the students criticised several policies of the Prabowo administration, arguing they do not serve the people and threaten democracy.

In their speeches, the student leaders urged the city council leadership to come down and meet the demonstrators. Shortly after, several councillors, including Speaker of the Surakarta DPRD, Budi Prasetyo, PDIP faction member YG Sukasno, and other DPRD members, were seen among the crowd.

A coordinator, Revaino Wijaya, said the protest was a moment to remind the government to be more open to public critique and not to ignore public aspirations. ‘We are here to voice the people’s grievances. Many policies currently do not deliver justice for the people,’ he said after the action.

The students carried six main demands they said directly relate to democracy, the economy, and public welfare. One major demand was to halt the national strategic project (PSN) Putri Cempo, which they say lacks transparency and risks public health and the surrounding environment.

They called on the government to publish all policy documents, funding schemes, and environmental impact assessments to the public. ‘The state must not sacrifice the health of citizens and the living space of communities for development driven by investment interests,’ he said.

In addition to PSN, the protesters highlighted the weakening rupiah and deteriorating economic conditions for the public. They argued government policy has not prioritised the poor and has instead increased the economic burden on ordinary people.

In their demands, they asked the government to prioritise the state budget (APBN) for public needs, not projects that only benefit political elites. ‘The APBN must be used for the people’s interests, not for wasteful power and populist projects,’ he said.

The UNS Student Alliance also rejected any form of state totalitarianism that suppresses freedom of thought and public criticism. They argued universities and public spaces must remain democratic spaces for people to express opinions. ‘Democracy should not be reduced to mere obedience to power,’ he declared.

Additionally, the students urged the DPR RI and the government to promptly pass the Indigenous Peoples Bill. They also called on the government to stop land grabs carried out in the name of investment, PSN, or corporate interests. ‘The state must protect Indigenous communities, not become an instrument of evictions legitimised by law,’ they said.

They also demanded a comprehensive review of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) and the People’s School programmes, which they say are not yet systemically prepared. They see these programmes as potentially electoral image-building projects that waste national funds without real solutions for the people. ‘Education and the welfare of the people must not be commodities for electoral gain,’ a student said.

In their final demand, the students called on the government to take emergency steps to stabilise the rupiah. They urged the government to fix the fundamentals of the economy, control debt, keep prices for essential goods stable, and stop policies that only benefit the market and political elites. ‘The depreciation of the rupiah is proof of the state’s failure to maintain economic stability and protect the people’s welfare,’ he said.

The Kamisan vigil held in front of the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, yesterday was attended by hundreds of students from various campuses. Some participants criticised the government, arguing it bears similarities to the Soeharto regime that stepped down exactly 28 years ago.

Muhammad Rizaldy, a Kamisan participant and president of the National Student Front (FMN), said the Prabowo Subianto–Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration has betrayed the Reform movement. ‘It turns out the Prabowo-Gibran regime is no different from the fascist Soeharto regime at that time,’ he said at the Kamisan site, in front of the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.