Jakarta – A wave of demonstrations involving students and civil society organisations titled "Dark Indonesia" took place in a number of regions, including Jakarta, between Monday February 17 and Friday February 21.
Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets, descending on Regional House of Representative (DPRD) offices in cities around the country and the Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta, which is not far from the State Palace.
One of the triggers for the wave of protests was President Prabowo Subianto's budget efficiency policy, which also targeted important budget items such as education.
The free nutritious Meals (MBG) program that involves the TNI (Indonesian Military) and Polri (National Police) was also criticised by the protesters. They believe that the government is reviving the dwi-fungsi (dual function) of the ABRI (the Armed Forces as it was called during the Suharto era).
Most recently, the protesters also criticised the police's efforts to investigate a punk band from Purbalingga over the song titled "Pay, Pay, Pay" (Bayar, bayar, bayar), which they consider to be a case of the police silencing freedom of expression through works of art.
Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO) Executive Director Dedi Kurnia Syah believes that the wave of protests have occurred because the public objects to Prabowo's controversial policies.
"Of course, and it seems that Prabowo is following the power pattern of (the 7th President) Jokowi [Joko Widodo], ignoring public aspirations", Syah told CNN Indonesia on Saturday February 22.
Syah says it is quite reasonable for civil society and students to hold ongoing demonstrations to criticise government policy. Moreover, he said, the various policies at the start of Prabowo's term are not in accordance with what is often touted.
"Because in fact, efficiency through budget cuts is not appropriate, and even risks hampering [economic] development", he explained.
Syah believes that the reasons given for the budget efficiency cuts that are often explained by the government are the complete opposite of Prabowo's policy of increasing the number of ministries.
"If it is true that efficiency is desired by the government, the practice is not cutting the budget, but rather cutting the portion of positions, institutions or ministries, which need to be trimmed down, because not all of them have an impact on the development needed by the state and nation", he said.
Not only that, he believes that the government's efforts to cut the education budget are irrational because the previous education budget was already considered inadequate to advance education in Indonesia.
"On the other hand, the current direction of the government's work tends to be biased", he explained.
Therefore, Syah is appealing to Prabowo to be open to the aspirations and criticisms being thrown up through the wave of Dark Indonesia demonstrations.
He said that Prabowo needs the public's support in leading Indonesia and pursuing various policies. "The government needs public support, it's good to listen to the public, and evaluate policies", he said.
Pubic disappointment
Earlier meanwhile, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Political Research Centre senior researcher Lili Romli said that Dark Indonesia and the hashtag #Justrunaway (#Kaburajadulu) are a form of disappointment with the current situation in Indonesia.
According to Romli, the public put their hopes in Prabowo and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka who were elected in the February 2024 presidential elections. But what is happening now is beyond the public's expectations.
"They initially had high hopes that later after the election, the leaders and the elite would provide new hope, like about employment, a rise in income, an increase in purchasing power, and a number of other hopes that were longed for by young people", said Romli when contacted by CNN Indonesia on Tuesday February 18.
"These hopes turned out to be just hopes which then give rise to disappointment. The form was like the demonstrations and the hashtag #Kaburajadulu, among others", she added.
Similarly, the Indonesian Survey Current (ASI) Executive Director Ali Rif'an also believes that the public is increasingly uneasy with the government's policies.
According to Rif'an, the savings from the budget efficiency cuts carried out by the government are not being allocated for essential matters, for example for lecturer performance allowances. But instead to implement the free nutritious meals program which has been widely criticised.
"This is reflected in public unrest related to the situation in Indonesia, because a number of paradoxes have occurred", Rif'an said.
He also believes that the Dark Indonesia actions and the hashtag #Kaburajadulu will develop according to political dynamics. According to Rif'an, if the Prabowo administration cannot respond properly, the movement could continue and grow.
"With the note, if the Prabowo administration does not immediately clarify things and provide a strong argument for the paradoxes that have occurred, these kind of actions could surface again and continue to grow", he said.
Government's response
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi does not agree with the Dark Indonesian titled used by the students in the demonstrations.
Hadi respects citizens who express their aspirations through demonstrations. However, he is asking the demonstrators not to play up an untrue narrative.
"This is what's called freedom of expression, but once again, please don't distort what is actually not like that. There is no dark Indonesia", Hadi said at the parliament complex in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Hadi is asking people to remain optimistic and united in building Indonesia with the same goal. He also asked the public to understand that the government has only been working for four months.
Meanwhile, Minister of Labour (Menaker) Yassierli responded to the hashtag #Kaburajadulu as an attitude by people that they need to improve their skills and take job opportunities overseas.
He admitted however that the government does indeed face a challenge in creating better jobs in the country.
"This is a challenge for us if indeed it is related to their aspirations. Let's (the government) create better jobs which will later became our record and our concern", Yassierli said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday. (sur/mab)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Pengamat: Demo Indonesia Gelap Respons Publik pada Kebijakan Negara".]
