Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – An alliance of All Indonesia Student Executive Councils (BEM SI) held a protest action at the House of Representatives (DPR) building on Wednesday October 16 to criticise 10 years of the President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo administration.

The action, which took up the theme Counting the Days until Jokowi's Trial, was held ahead of the inauguration of president-elect Prabowo Subianto on October 20 when Widodo will step aside as president. The students began the action with a long-march from the TVRI building in Central Jakarta to the location of the protest at the DPR.

Populist BEM SI Central Coordinator Satria Naufal said that the action was held to commemorate 10 years of the Widodo administration. According to Naufal, during that time, the Widodo government has only given fruit to blood and tears through various positions, policies and laws that have brought suffering to the ordinary people.

"A symbolic action but so essential in interpreting Joko Widodo's 10-year leadership. The suffering, cries of misery, fear and deceit will overflow in our various symbols and narratives", said Naufal in a statement on Wednesday.

Naufal said the action reviewed Widodo's 10 sins during his decade in office. The ten sins are autocratic legalism, the Omnibus Law on Job Creation, deforestation, environmental destruction, hostage politics, problematic laws, repression by the state apparatus, the weakening of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and political dynasties.

"This action also signals the sparking of a fire from Jakarta which we are sending out to other areas and regions to then also join in holding huge mass actions starting today until October 20", said Naufal.

The BEM SI also held a demonstration criticising the 10 years of Widodo's administration on Monday July 22 at the Arjuna Wiwaha or Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta.

BEM SI Legal Reform and Human Rights Coordinator Fawwaz Ihza Mahendra considers that Widodo, as the head of state and the head of government, failed to carry out the mandate of the constitution, and instead has focused on resolving the president's problems and captained the country recklessly. He claims to have mixed feelings about Widodo's attitude.

"Sad, disappointed, furious, angry and feeling that we students are meaningless for Jokowi. Despite what we do for the sake of the nation as the successors of this country. I think the president is more interested in going to a celebrity wedding rather than the ordinary people who are having difficulties and are insolent", said the chairperson of the Padjadjaran University (Unpad) BEM in Bandung.

-- Hatta Muarabagja contributed to this article.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Menjelang Jokowi Lengser, BEM SI Demo di DPR".]

Source: https://nasional.tempo.co/read/1929249/menjelang-jokowi-lengser-bem-si-demo-di-dpr