UI Student Council to Stage Protest Against Free Nutritious Meals Programme on Friday

The University of Indonesia’s Student Executive Board (BEM UI) is planning a demonstration at the Bundaran HI roundabout in Central Jakarta on Friday, 12 June 2026. BEM UI Chairman Yatalathof Ma’shum Imawan stated that students are demanding President Prabowo Subianto halt the free nutritious meals (MBG) project and the Red and White Village Cooperatives scheme. “Stop the MBG programme and the construction of the Red and White Village Cooperatives,” he said in a written statement on Wednesday, 10 June 2026. BEM UI is also demanding that Prabowo halt state budget wastage, lower prices of staple goods and fuel oil. They are also demanding Prabowo stop militarism in civilian spaces. “Prabowo must also stop evading and acknowledge the government’s mistakes,” he said. These demands resulted from a consolidation of UI students on Wednesday. He said the demands were formulated in light of Indonesia’s current economic and democratic problems. In his view, Indonesia is a wealthy country, yet its people are far from prosperous. The nation’s economic growth has even collapsed, and government policies are reinforcing that collapse. “Fiscal policy is leaking, Bank Indonesia’s independence has been seized. Not to mention, the government’s communication with the public is far from appropriate,” he said. He perceives the government as denying the current situation, degrading the struggles and criticisms voiced by the people. “State apparatus is also used as a tool to silence those who speak up,” he said. Previously, BEM UI had held a focus group discussion with student elements across UI and a national consolidation on Monday, 8 June 2026. One of the topics discussed was Indonesia’s economic condition. Responding to this, Minister for the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi stated the government respects the aspirations and input regarding student groups’ demands for the government to swiftly strengthen the rupiah exchange rate. However, he noted that Indonesia’s current economic problems are not easy to resolve. “It is certainly influenced by many factors,” he said at the House of Representatives complex in Jakarta on Monday, 8 June 2026.