Alie Usman, Jakarta – A meeting organised by the Muhammadiyah Youth Association to address problems of the state and nation, which presented figures such as Rizal Ramli and Romo Magnis Suseno at the Muhammadiyah Central Board office in Jakarta, has ended in chaos.

Jakarta – Tertiary education is becoming more elitist compared with the 1990s and 1990s, with the participation of those from less well off families dropping. The increasingly high cost of study is the principle obstacle facing the poor wishing to attend tertiary education.

Yogyakarta – Activists from the Student Struggle Centre for National Liberation (Pembebasan, formerly LMND-PRD) opposing planned increases to the basic electricity rate (TDL) next July held an action in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday June 16.

Rohman Taufiq, Surabaya – Students in the Central Java provincial capital of Surabaya enlivened a protest action when they joined workers commemorating May Day on Saturday May 1 in front of the State Grahadi building.

Jakarta – Like previous years, 2008 was marked by a variety of actions by students who took to the streets opposing government policies that they believe harm the people.

Only, in concert the approach of the 2009 legislative and presidential elections, so too has the tendency for these student actions to end in clashes and violence.

Medan – On April 5 scores of people from the North Sumatra Union for the Politics of the Poor Front (FPPRM-SU) held a protest action at the Mejestik roundabout in the North Sumatra city of Medan opposing the April 9 legislative elections.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – Some 50 or so students in the North Sumatra city of Medan demonstrated on April 2 against the general elections that will take place on April 9. The group said that students believe that the elections will not bring about change or resolve the problems of the ordinary people.

Robert, Samarinda – Scores for students from the Mulawarman University in East Kalimantan provincial city of Samarinda demonstrated on March 30 against the 2009 general elections. During the action they destroyed or set fire to posters, banners and other promotional material belonging to legislative candidates.

In the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, scores of students from the Gajah Mada University held campaigns at a number of different university faculties calling for an election boycott.

The students said they were pessimistic that there were any political parties or legislative candidates that would struggle for cheap education.

Muhammad Taufiqqurahman, Jakarta – Students demonstrating against US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday February 19 ‘forced’ police to help them trample on US flags. The police were left smiling resentfully.