Student Representatives Meet Vice President Gibran, Present Demands on Budget, Law, and Energy

Student representatives from Universitas Bung Karno (UBK) and Universitas MH Thamrin, who had been demonstrating at the Patung Kuda roundabout in Central Jakarta, were received by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. They conveyed their demands directly to Gibran.

Action coordinator Muhammad Abdi Maludin stated after the meeting at the Vice Presidential Palace on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Central Jakarta, Monday (15/6/2026), that the students presented their grievances from both regional and national perspectives directly to the Vice President.

Abdi outlined demands related to fiscal and education clusters, specifically requesting a temporary suspension of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and a transparent audit of the food sovereignty deputy policy. They further urged that the resulting budget efficiencies be redirected to subsidise higher education operational costs to make education more affordable.

A third point concerned the legal and civilian supremacy cluster. He summarised that they were sending an official recommendation on behalf of local governments to the House of Representatives (DPR) to conduct a legislative review of the recently passed Police Law.

Regarding the monetary and energy crisis cluster, the students urged the central monetary authority to intervene to stabilise the rupiah and to cancel the policy increasing Pertamax fuel prices, arguing it was destroying domestic purchasing power.

Abdi set a deadline of 5x24 hours, stating that if by Friday, 19 July 2024, the second party violated, ignored, or failed to show progressive evidence of realising the memorandum, the first party would declare the second party to have a defect in moral legitimacy and to have betrayed their agreement.

Acting Secretary to the Vice President, Al Muktabar, said that Vice President Gibran welcomed and accepted the input through an interactive dialogue. He noted that some students raised issues from the regions that had reached the national level.

Muktabar added that the matters would be considered for further action by the Vice President within the limits of his authority according to laws and regulations. He confirmed that Gibran would bring the results of the students’ study to President Prabowo Subianto through a specific mechanism, depending on available opportunities.