Vice President Gibran Meets with Protesting Students
Vice President Gibrability Rakabuming Raka met with representatives of student groups conducting protests at several locations in Jakarta, receiving them at the Vice Presidential Palace on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan on Monday afternoon.
A total of 15 representatives moved from the protest sites to the Vice Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta at approximately 5:00 PM WIB.
The Acting Secretary to the Vice President, Al Muktabar, stated that the meeting between Vice President Gibran and the students addressed issues ranging from regional to national concerns, which will be taken into consideration.
“Naturally, within the limits of authority according to prevailing laws and regulations. In principle, because we are a democracy-based nation with a legal foundation, he highly appreciates such matters,” Al said during a press conference at the Vice Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Protest Coordinator and Chairman of the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the UBK Faculty of Law, M Abdi Maludin, noted that the Vice President recorded the students’ demands.
“The response from the Vice President was very good. He noted the results of our demands, which will be used in the future to improve and evaluate any irregularities in the country today,” he said.
Among the issues presented to the Vice President by the student representatives were the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, the weakening of the Rupiah exchange rate, and the increase in non-subsidised fuel prices.
Today’s protest involved approximately 122 students from various universities. The demonstrations were monitored by joint personnel from the Metro Jaya Regional Police, Central Jakarta District Police, and local police sectors.
The Head of Public Relations for the Central Jakarta Metro Police, Iptu Erlyn Sumantri, noted that the student protests also took place in front of the DPR/MPR RI Building and on Jalan Kwitang Raya. Meanwhile, Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, which had been closed due to the protests, began to reopen around 5:00 PM WIB.